Living the Dream
by Lily272
Summary: Sequel to Dream team. Chapter 19 Explanations: Now that Seth has his treasure Jaden is waiting for some explanations on that matter. Will he and Mattie get along or will Seth have to choose?
1. First school day

Hi guys. This chapter was written by my friend and #1 Fan BrowneyedShamer and I hope you all like it. I personally love it and hope she'll write some more little storys of the school life.

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**First school day**

"Mrs. Shamer report to the principals office, Mrs. Shamer to the principals office."  
The science class of 2-B 'ohh-ed' and 'aww-ed' that their teacher was called to the principals office, a few girls in the back giggling like crazy. Mrs. Shamer tried not to roll her eyes, it set a bad example for the kids, but she gave in and dramatically rolled her eyes as she walked to the projector and turned on Bill Nye the Science guy. Her class loved watching the crazy man and his ridiculous experiments that glued your eyes to the screen; in fact everyone she knew loved watching Bill Nye. Satisfied her class was occupied for at least forty minutes she slipped out of the room before flicking the lights off.  
She muttered angrily to herself as she stalked to the principals office. Her blue flat-tops smacking the floor and her long brown hair swaying behind her. She smiled at the secretary named Mrs. Doris as she stalked to the back office. She didn't bother knocking but just barraged in.  
"What, in the beloved name of nuclear fusion, is wrong this time?" She cried as she flopped in one of the two chairs in front of his desk.  
"Now, Jojo-." The headmaster started to say as he rubbed the top of his bald head.  
Jojo glared at him, from behind her black rimmed glasses. "Uncle… are we in debt again?"  
Mr. Armstrong sat up straight and clasped his hands on the desk in front of him. "Heavens child, no! I was just going to tell you we just had two very generous contributions to our school, one to the library and the other to our playground."  
Jojo sank back in her chair. "Well that's a relief. I was starting to become afraid to allow the children to play on that old thing." She sat up straight. "Wait… why did these people give you money?"  
Mr. Armstrong chuckled. "Because they are the very generous parents, of our new students starting tomorrow."  
Jojo groaned, "I understand you love this school, more than anyone else, but didn't you say you weren't going to except any more spoilt rich kids. Remember what happened last time?"  
"These students are different."  
"You're a sappy old fool, but for you, fine. I'll alert all the teachers."  
Mr. Armstrong smiled broadly. "You're my favorite niece."  
Jojo waved in response as she walked out of the room. She smiled at Mrs. Doris and headed back to her class. She passed the history class and her eyes honed in on the back, and sure enough a small boy had his head in his hands. His brown hair sticking up at all angles. She approached the door and knocked on the window, all heads turned towards her, as Jaden's slowly lifted up, his eyes dazed with sleep. She waved to the class and received squeals of delight before the history teacher calmed down the class. She chuckled to herself as she passed by, something never changed

1st day of school

Jojo arrived at Armstrong academy at exactly seven o'clock like every day before. She opened the front gates and walked through the quiet yard and proceeded to unlock the small school. She went from room to room, unlocking the doors, turning on the lights and air conditioning. She hummed a light tune as she worked and soon she could hear the sound of car doors slamming shut, children's screams and other teacher's calls. She smiled to herself as she walked into her science class. She was getting ready for a volcanic demonstration when a small boy appeared at her door, and behind him a small girl clutching his uniform coat. Jojo had to resist the urge to gather the two up in her arms and hug them; they looked absolutely adorable in their school uniforms.  
"Shouldn't you two should be in the gym, waiting for the bell to ring?" She said as she walked towards the door.  
"We're explorers." The little girl said with a happy grin. Jojo was taken aback by her long white hair and striking blue eyes.  
The boy looked un-amused, as if he humoured his sister a lot. Jojo assumed the boy was the girl's older brother, even though he had black hair with red eyes. She sighed and ushered them from her room and into the hallway. Crouching down at their level she grinned widely at them.  
"I used to explore this school when I was young, too. My sister and I would spend hours looking in every nook and cranny."  
The little girls eyes grew wide as she stepped towards Jojo, the boy continued to look as if he wished to be somewhere else. "Is there a treasure?"  
Jojo looked up at the ceiling before standing up and stretching out her arms. "There are many mysteries hidden within this old building and a few secret passages."  
She almost didn't think it possible but the girls eyes grew even wider and they seemed to sparkle. Jojo laughed as the girl started to giggle happily. She caught a glint of curiosity in the boy's eyes before he ducked his head to hide his eyes. Jojo held out her hands to each child, the girl quickly latching onto her left hand as the boy looked at her right hand before reluctantly taking it. She led them back down the hall to the office, she had a feeling these where the new students.  
"I'm Joe-Joe." The little girl said happily as she swung their hands. "And he's Seth, my big brother."  
Jojo laughed. "That's awesome. I'm also called Jojo, or Mrs. Shamer if either of you get into my science class."  
The boy looked up at her. "You're a science teacher."  
Jojo grinned down at him. "Yes."  
His red eyes stared intensely back at her, and from that gaze she could tell he wasn't an ordinary five-year old. "What credentials do you have?"  
Jojo was taken aback by his question but recovered and grinned down at him. "I have a Ph.D in Biophysics, and a major in Paleontology." She wasn't surprised to see a flicker of understanding in Seth's eyes and she was impressed he knew what they were.  
Joe-Joe pulled on her hand and looked up at her with her wide blue eyes. "What's a Byo-fyicist, and a paleeon-n-n."  
Jojo chuckled. "Biophysics means that I search for answers of the world through nature, think of me like nature´s secret finder. While Paleontology means that I study the history of science."  
"So you are an explorer.'" Joe-Joe cried happily as they reached the door to the office. Inside two men paced uneasily, both where good looking and tall. Jojo assumed the parents of the two adorable children and the generous sponsors.  
"Yeah, I still am." Jojo said as she opened the door. The girl flew to the tall brunet as the boy walked to the blond, his father scooped him up and hugged him. She stood at the doorway and grinned happy, the family had been reunited. The tall brunet noticed her first and held out a hand to her his other full of his daughter.  
"Thank you for finding them."  
Jojo smiled as she firmly shook his hand. "It was no problem, they were adorable."  
The brunet nodded as he started to open his mouth the girl jumped in. "Paps, she's called Jojo, just like me!"  
The man turned to her and smiled kindly. "Is that so?" To which the girl nodded vigorously.  
"I'm Joey and this here is Seto." The blond said as he hugged the small boy.  
"I'm Jordanna, the science teacher, for all grades."  
Seto nodded and looked around. "Do you know where the school's doctor is, we're waiting for her to asset our son to determine which class he should be in."  
Jojo nodded solemnly as she walked towards the principals office and turned right; walking into the nurse´s office she pulled a lab coat off the rack and pulled it on over her long blue sundress. She grinned widely as she pulled her hair out and let it flow down her back. Putting on a serious face she walked out with her hands in her pockets towards the family.  
"Hello, My name is Jojo Shamer and I am the school doctor!"  
Joey's jaw dropped and Seto only raised an eyebrow, while Joe-Joe squealed excited. Jojo wasn't surprised to see that Seth looked unphased.  
"You're the school's doctor and science teacher?" Joey asked.  
Jojo shrugged "I also co-own a voice acting agency on the side. I'm a woman of many strange talents."  
Jojo smiled again at the two men and decided she rather liked them, in a way they seemed to complete each other, and with the two children they looked like the perfect happy family. Her smiled faltered, it had been a while since she had seen such love and trust inside of a family. Jojo regained her smile and held her hand out to Seth.  
"Why don't we take your test and then I can make your class assignments. I have a strong feeling you'll enjoy science and math classes with the older kids. "She turned to give Joe-Joe- a bright grin. "And you my little cutie will love art and music."  
Joey put Seth down as the small boy walked over to her and took her offered hand. "Will it be hard?"  
Jojo thought for a second and grinned crazily. "It will most definitely be painful." She said as she pulled the small boy into the nurse's office with a laugh. He looked at her with raised eyebrows but complied.  
"You are the craziest teacher ever." Seth said seriously as she closed the door behind him and indicated a seat with a test already laid out.  
Jojo sat at her desk opposite to him, her fingers interwined. "I'm the funniest teacher ever. Boring just isn't very funny."  
Seth nodded as he looked down at his test. Taking up his pencil he opened the packet and started.

2nd day of school!  
Jojo sighed as she ran a hand through her bangs, before pushing up her glasses. A small boy sat across from her. His tiny feet swinging under him. She looked up from her paperwork and suppressed another sigh. It wasn't that she was annoyed with the boy's presence, she was just unhappy to see him for the third time this week.  
"Jaden, what did you do this time!"  
Jaden stopped swinging his feet and looked up at her with solemn eyes "I fell asleep in class…again."  
Jojo laughed at his comically sad face and at her laughter he joined with his own giggle. She reached across and ruffled the top of his head. "Did you have a good day then?"  
Jaden nodded enthusiastically. "I made a new friend."  
Jojo grinned happily, she was glad to see the little trouble maker had finally found a friend. She opened a drawer in her desk and pulled out two snickers bars and two bottles of water. She handed a bottle of water and candy bar to the boy as his eyes lit up. Leaning back in her chair Jojo opened the candy bar and took a big bite.  
"I'm so glad, Jaden. What's their name?"  
Jaden took a swig from his water before wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "His name's Seth and he's two years younger than me, but he's in all my classes…well most."  
Jojo nodded, she remembered seeing the two of them sitting together in her science class but she had been too busy with another child's problems to observe any further.  
"Yes, I know him. He's a smart kid." Jojo commented, she looked up at the clock that read 3:30, only thirty more minutes of detention. "So what do you think of him?"  
Jaden opened his snickers and thoughtfully chewed before answering. Jojo watched the small boy, wondering why the other teachers thought him to be a moron. He was a bright young man just incredibly lazy. She hoped Seth would be a good influence on him in more ways than one. Seth would undoubtly help Jaden with his homework and studies, give him friendship, and show him a functional family life. Jojo had thought on more than one occasions to adopt the boy and take him out of his foster home, but she wasn't married. She could only hope fate would smile upon him and give him the nice family that he deserved.  
Jaden finished his chocolate bar and licked his fingers. "He's really smart, and he helped me with maths today. I know he has a younger sister, her names Joe-Joe. Like your name!" he said with a giggle. " He may seem kinda mean, but he's really nice. I also know he has two daddies and loves both of them, but that one is leaving." Jaden said sadly.  
Jojo put her hand on top of his head and rubbed gently. "Oh honey, he must be really sad. You know what? I know how you can help him, and in a way only you can."  
He looked up at her and grinned widely, his eyes filled with hope. "How?"  
"You make him laugh and make sure he has fun. Laughing is the best medicine to cure sadness. I would know, cause I'm a doctor." Jojo said with a grin.  
Jaden's smile seemed to spilt his face as he wiggled under her hand. "So all I have to do is make him laugh?"  
"Yeah and just be his friend. I'm sure he'll love that."  
Jaden jumped from his seat as he waved and ran out of the room. "Thanks Miss Jojo. I gotta go and plan something fun." He yelled as his loud footsteps echoed in the quite hallway of the school.  
Jojo looked up at the clock, 3:40. Close enough. Jotting down four she closed her book and got ready for tomorrow. She had a feeling it would be exciting.

3rd day of school

"Does anyone know why we take fingerprints from a crime scene?" Jojo asked her class. Only one hand raised in the back, and she prayed another kid's hand would raise.  
She sighted after a long silence. "Yes, Jaden?"  
"Because the detective told them to." The calls erupted into giggles and Jojo rolled her eyes. She had to admit it was never dull with him around  
"Yes Jaden, that's correct, but why does the detective need the fingerprints? Seth can you tell us!"  
Seth looked up from his second library book, his eyes slightly dazed while his brain processed what she had just asked. "Fingerprints are like DNA, each one is unique to each human being and can therefor identify who was at the crime scene." Seth said boredly as he turned back to his book.  
Jojo sighed, she had wanted a more simple answer. "That's correct, fingerprints are different for each person. Not two people have the same finger print. And today we're going to stamp our thumbs onto the paper in front of you and compare them with the other students and see how many similarities we can find."  
The small class of twelve students eagerly whispered to each other as they stamped their fingers onto the paper and jumped from their seats to compare their prints with their friends. Jojo smiled as a group formed, she enjoyed their excitement. Her eyes trailed towards the table in the back, where Jaden chatted happily to Seth who was still reading but his attention on his friend. She decided to let them be, as her eyes went to the window. A small face was plastered against the window, its white hair flying in all directions. Jojo jumped and shrieked loudly, vowing then and there to never watch another scary movie ever again. Her class and the face in the window all jumped at her shriek. Jojo blushed and waved her class back to their comparisons, saying she had just forgotten something important.  
Jojo walked to the window and leaned out, a breezing ruffling her brown hair. The figure was gone but she assumed it was Seth's little sister. Looking down, she saw the small girl huddled under the window, cuddling a dragon plushie. Jojo smiled and reached under the girls arms and pulled her up and into her class. The girl gave a squeak as she was yanked up but didn't scream.  
"Did you get lost exploring?' Jojo asked.  
Joe-joe hugged her plushie and grinned at Jojo. "No, I was looking for Seth, we had playtime and I got bored with the teacher."  
Jojo laughed as Seth and Jaden came from behind her. Joe-joe immediately latched onto her brother and grinned up at him. "Joe-Joe, you can't leave your class.' Seth scolded.  
Jojo looked at the two. "She could stay for a little while."  
Joe-Joe squealed and hugged Jojo's legs happily. "Thank you, I promise I'll be good."  
Jojo winked at Jaden. "I'm sure you will, and maybe you could teach Jaden a few tips."  
The girl reached out and took Jaden's hand, who blushed and looked away. "How old are you?"  
Jojo huffed, playfully puffing out her cheeks. "Jaden, honey, you NEVER ask a woman about her age."  
Jaden nodded, seriously bowing his head before he caught the true meaning of her sentence. "Hey, but she's a girl."  
"And my sister." Seth said at Jaden, his eyes narrowed at the ringer accusingly pointing at the small girl.  
Jojo chuckled.  
Joe-Joe put her thumb in her mouth and wiggled her fingers. "I'm this many."  
Jojo bust into a hysterical laughter that echoed in the class room. The confused look on Jaden's face was priceless and the tiny hint of a twinkle in the young girls eyes confirmed she was as smart or even more than her brilliant brother. She had to wipe a lone tear that fell down her face from all her laughing. This year and the ones following where going to be noting but exciting.  
Jojo stopped laughing and snapped up straight the moment she saw Seth stiffen and look out the window. She swiftly pulled out her cell and walked over to the window. As she was about to slam the pane close another face came into view.  
"Hello there?" He said as he put his hands on the window.  
Screams echoed behind her as Jojo slammed the glass on his hands and quickly dialed a number on her cell. She ignored the strange man's cries and curses as she turned to her class. Shooing most of them into the hall she distracted them by saying the gym was open and ready for dodge-ball. Her small class ran through the halls yelling excitedly to play the violent game.  
"Hey." The voice on her cell said "What's up?"  
"There's a creep at my window and I slammed his fingers in the-." Jojo said as she turned back to the window. "Now there's two of them!"  
"I'll be there in a second." The line disconnected and Jojo walked to the only three students left in her class.  
Joe-Joe had walked over to the window and was trying to free the man while Seth sat in the nearest desk reading again with a faint smirk on his lips. Jaden looked confused on rather he should sit next to his friend or help Joe-Joe!  
"No sweetie. Don't help the creepy man." Jojo said as she pulled the girl away and picked her up as the new man helped pull his friends hands out. Together they lifted the window and stealthily climbed in. Jojo backed up, clutching the girl in front of her. Her other hand making contact with Jaden's head. She wouldn't let anything happen to these kids.  
"You two are trespassing on private property." Jojo said in a commanding tone, the one she used to send kids to the principals office.  
The smaller of the two and the one with the less crazy hair bowed his head as if he was affected by her teacher voice, while the taller one smiled insanely.  
"That never stopped us before."  
"Where's the creepers!" A voice cried as the door was slammed open and a women in sweatpants and a white tank burst in. Her hair was cut short and spiked but next to that she looked identical to Jojo.  
"Them." Jojo said to her twin.  
"No don't hurt the monkey's." Joe-Joe cried, struggling in Jojo's arm.

"What?"

"They're my friends, they came to play with me." Joe-Joe said happily.  
"Honey, they don't have permission from-."  
"Right here teach." The taller one said with a crazy grin.  
Jojo looked over at her twin and sighed heavily, now they couldn't throw the creeps off the school´s property. This was sure turning into an interesting day!  
"Well next time sign in at the office."  
"We did." The chorused with identical smirks, Jojo felt a shutter run down her back.  
"You weren't called in by.-"  
"Oh she's busy at the moment."  
"Being tied up." The other said.  
Jojo face-plamed. This would be an exciting school year to say the least!


	2. Treasure Hunt

Hi guys. I'm so sorry that I was gone for so long. My mom was really sick and had to be brought to the hospital with an ambulance 3 times in 2 weeks! And about 2 weeks after that she needed an operation and then the wound had gotten infected but now it is slowly getting better and I'm slowly settling into my new job, so I'm happy enough to write another chapter for this story and since I was on a roll and had time to write one for Joey Wheeler, KC Head of Security as well. I only finished it recently but did get a friend to fix it up a little but it still might have a few mistakes if I get around to I ´ll fix it, if it really bothers you...fix it up and send it to me! I'll read it and if there aren't any changes that really bother me I´ll switch it okay! I hope you like it. Please let me know if you have any suggestions for the end because I'm not too happy with it.

And thanks to mandapandabug, Assassin Rowan, BrowneyedShamer, HorsesRain, YukitoNO1, l2s2, kitty tokyo uzumaki and MissAlandra for the reviews. Also a special thanks to HorsesRain again for writing the last chapter.

I also would like to thank everyone that I wrote in a mail about my mom already and who was so supportive and I hope that everyone who reviewed and didn't get a response will forgive me. (I'm afraid I might have forgotten a few and wasn't sure with some if I had or hadn't with all the trouble with my sick parents.)

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**Treasure hunt**

Seto was late as his limousine drove into the driveway. It was a Thursday and Seth was at home with Joey and Joe-Joe that day after school. And since Seto was late he didn't expect Joe-Joe to run out and welcome him anymore. She probably was already asleep on the couch trying to stay up for him to come home. Seto hated late nights ever since he had his little family more than anything else but with a company to run it was just unavoidable at times.

But he was wrong, Joe came running out of the mansion, wearing her favourite white and blue dress. The same one she was wearing when Seto met his adopted children for the first time, It was only 6 months ago now, but her dress was getting a bit too small for her by now anyway, reminding Seto back to how fast Mokuba had grown at that age. He decided to get her one that looked the same and switch it when it needed to be washed again so she could wear it longer. She was too cute in it to let her grow out of it so soon, and she loved it.

The running girl had a big white paper in her hand and was holding it in a fashion that was making it impossible for Seto to see what she had drawn on the other side. All he knew was that she must have drawn something since she loved art and seemed to be eager to show the paper to him. He picked her up once she was close enough and asked "What did you draw there my little angle?"

"I didn't draw. I found it on a treasure hunt with Daddy." The little girl said. Seto was looking towards the entrance of the mansion where his husband and son were waiting. Joey looking a little upset and Seto wondered what he had.

"What is it that you found?" Seto asked and smiled at the enthusiastic little girl while walking up to his husband.

"Look." She simply said and held the paper open to show Seto a beautiful watercolour painting of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon and the Red-Eyes Black Dragon. They were flying over a mountain lake. Little did he know that it had similarities with a drawing she had done once and that had led to the kids choosing them as parents.

"Where did you find that?" Seto asked, needing more details. The painting was beautifully made and he wanted to know which artist had done it, unfortunately it wasn't signed.

"On a treasure hunt with Daddy." The girl repeated sounding overly annoyed at the fact that her pappy obviously hadn't listened.

"You said that." Seto said to signal her that he had listened and added for clarification of his earlier question, "Where during the treasure hunt did you find it?"

"Under the painting of you." The girl said with a smile on her young face.

"What painting exactly?" Seto asked, certain that he never had a painting of himself. Gozaburo had a lot of himself back in the day but Seto hated him so much and never wanted to be like him and because of that never had wanted a painting of himself anywhere in the mansion.

He was looking at his daughter while he could feel Joey's arm going around his waist. And he could feel his lips gently kissing him right behind his ear. He smiled and slightly leaned into his husbands loving touch.

"The one that was on this one." She said looking at the two dragons and Seto gave up on asking her. It wasn't the first time that he had a hard time getting the information he needed from his little girl.

"Joey, would you be so kind to fill me in on the details?" Seto asked his husband.

"She found dragons on the treasure hunt." Joey said. The upset look was gone and in it's place was a mischievous smile. Seto gave a sigh as he felt another little kiss from him at the same place as before, he clearly was trying to distract him. And since he had missed his husband all day, it was working a little and Seto started to consider to get to the bottom of this mystery another time in favour of getting the kids to bed as fast as possible to be alone with Joey.

But his curiosity was getting the better of him and there was one way to find out the much needed information a bit easier and faster than by asking Joey or Joe-Joe.

Seto looked down at his son who didn't notice it since his nose was in a Manga. Their Monkey Unkas must have been visiting that afternoon and brought him some new ones. "Seth?" Seto just asked to get his attention.

"We played treasure hunt with Dad's moving boxes. You know the ones that he hadn't unpacked yet. And the way they looked, it was at least a year since he had unpacked them last." Seth said without looking up.

Seto smiled happy at the thought that Joey finally had decided to unpack the last boxes. It had worried him a great deal that Joey hadn't done so immediately knowing how restless he had been. But the fact that he had looked upset worried him. He was worried that it had been the kids that started it rather than him. And that he might start to feel trapped or something and run off.

"How would you like it if we put the painting up in your room?" Seto asked his daughter trying not to let her notice any of his worries.

"YAY! Thanks pappy, can Seth get the one from the black dragon and some others?" The girl asked.

Seto smiled at how considered she was at the fact that her brother needed to get something too. "Sure if he wants to and if the artist or owner of it doesn't mind." He said, wondering how many paintings they had found and where Joey had gotten them.

"But Seth is the owner, he found it on a treasure hunt so he can keep it." The girl said with certainty in her clear little voice.

Her Pappy smiled and even thought he could explain to her that it didn't work like that he kept his mouth shut. But was eager to see the painting of himself and even more eager to talk to Joey alone about it and find out from where he had gotten the paintings.

Seto knew now that Joey had been in love with him for years, but he was wondering why Joey had put them away and never got them out if he had bought them.

But before he could talk in peace with his husband Joe told him about some other treasures that she had found, like a picture of her daddy with his sister and parents as he was a kid. Seth was rather quiet and just mentioned at some point that there was more rubbish in those boxes than "treasures". Apparently there had even been a box that at some point had some food in it, maybe bread, but by the time they had found it there was nothing but some greenish-grey smelly stuff left of it.

Seto had to grin and just asked how the food had managed to survive that long if it was so close to the always hungry Joey dragon, everyone had laughed.

Later that night as the kids finally went to bed Joe-Joe showed him the painting of him she had hidden in her room because daddy wanted to throw it out insisting that it wasn't any good.

Like Joe-Joe Seto disagreed completely. It was beautiful. He looked strong, powerful and majestic, which wasn't a surprise to him, however the fact that he was dressed like he supposedly used to in ancient Egypt was something he hadn't anticipated. Joey was one of the very few that knew about his ancient history that he himself would deny to believe.

Suddenly Joey's grumpy face earlier made sense. He didn't want anyone to see the pictures because he was the artist. Ever since they had moved together and Seto saw him writing his books he knew that Joey could be a bit of a perfectionist, at least if something that was important enough for that. He definitely was a perfectionist with his stories. And obviously he was like that with his pictures as well.

Seto kept the picture with the little girls permission and went with Joey to their room where he simply kissed his husband. He was happier than he had been in a long time and said, "The painting is great. Did you make more of them?"

The low grumble from Joey's throat was a prove that to Joey the pictures weren't good enough, which made Seto wonder why he had kept them that long in the first place. Maybe he had wanted to throw them out and forgotten about them still being in the moving box.

Once more Seto got a kiss from his husband, with so much passion that it was clearly meant to be a distraction. And since Seto already knew who must have made the paintings he enjoyed the fact that he had his good looking husband to himself. It was rare enough with two young kids in the house.

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**Please Review**


	3. A dragon tale for Miss Jojo

This chapter is for my ultimate #1 fan I heard today that she is having a surgery and I hope she'll be feeling a little bit cheered up after reading this *hug her* Get better soon, please!

By the way, I hope this will inspire another great chapter from my friend Jojo Shamer :P I bet it would be fun to hear how Joe-Joe asks her teacher about where babys come from. And better a teacher explains than having her ask her fluffy unka Kura. I bet he would be really graphic about that!

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**A dragon tale for Miss Jojo.**

Joey was typing on his laptop, working on a new book. A book about dragons, inspired by his little daughter Joe-Joe. The little angle that he had gotten lost in this freakishly huge mansion. It had taken two hours till he found her sleeping in a room where she had been painting on a canvas she had found there. She still was playing treasure hunt in this place and actually finding something new every time. Right now Joey didn't need to worry about the blue eyed, little puppy eye monster. Her brother was home today and he was always playing with her. He's the most caring brother Joey had ever seen. He would do everything for the little girl and never get really annoyed. Joey was sure that he sometimes must feel annoyed but he never showed that. He hardly ever showed any emotions but that was getting better. He was smiling sometimes and could look a tiny bit upset by now. Joey had noticed a lot of changes since Seth had started school and started to spent a lot of time with his classmate, Jaden. He's a sweet boy and very active.

Joey heard his daughter laughing in the next room and was sure that he would have a hell of a hard time to clean her that night. He had given them permission to redecorate the art room that she had found the paint and canvas in the other day. And that included the permission to paint the walls whatever way they wanted to. She was probably painting butterflies or dragons. Her two favourites at the moment. She was a great little artist. She had made a painting of her family the other day and it was easy to see who was who. And not only because of the hair colour. She was getting better by the day and Joey didn't mind encouraging her by letting her paint pictures on the walls in the art room.

Suddenly the door burst open and Joe-Joe, looking excited, ran in followed by Seth. "Pappy's a bunny." She suddenly said and Joey had to fight a laughing fit immediately.

"I beg your pardon?" Joey said, still fighting back his laughter afraid it might hurt the girl´s feelings. "Would you mind explaining that to me?"

"The evil Pegasus monster turned the black dragon into a bunny." Joe-Joe said, sounding like Joey was stupid because he didn't already know.

"I thought Seto ate the Pegasus bunny?" Joey said and looked at Seth for help.

"It's a new story." Seth said.

"Oh please, kids sit down and tell me." Joey said, pulled Joe-Joe on one of his legs. She was covered in paint and couldn't be allowed to sit on the furniture. Then he pulled Seth up to sit on his other leg. He knew that Seth only allowed that because he loved his dad and actually felt much too mature for it but he was still a child and Joey didn't want him to grow up to fast.

"The story starts with the white dragon sleeping in a desert that was covered by snow. He flew around and loved eating snow rabbits or some of the few birds that lived in this parts. It was late at night when a bird was daring enough to enter his lair.

The bird used it's sharp peak to wake the dragon. It was only a little tickle through his thick scales but it worked and the dragon opened it's ice blue eyes. The raven with red eyes looked into the eyes that looked like the icy sky that hang over the desert that looked like it was made out of crystals. 'Help me,' the bird said 'you need to help me for your own sake.'

"Why?' The dragon asked, sounding sleepy and turned a little 'Do you want to die? I can help you with that.'

'Don't be silly.' The bird chided the dragon. 'I want you to help me turning back into the dragon I am, so I can kill that disgusting magician that turned ME into a puny little raven.'

The white dragon roared with laughter. 'You're trying to tell me that you're a dragon?' he asked, still shaking with laughter.

'He wants to get rid of all the dragons in the world' the raven said. 'That's how I found out about you. He's coming for you to turn you into a puny little snow rabbit.'

The laughter stopped. 'He couldn't. He wouldn't. HOW DARE HIM!' the white dragon roared with anger and looked at the raven, right into it's red eyes. 'Your eyes are red. I've never seen a raven with red eyes.'

'Aren't you listening?' The raven asked, clearly getting annoyed. 'I'm not a raven. I'm a dragon. I'm the dragon of the fire land and usually hunt at night, flying over the burned grounds around the volcanos where only the toughest creatures survive.'

'That explains why you're so tiny and puny,' the white dragon said ,'you probably don't get enough food.'

'Stop thinking about food' the raven chided. 'This is serious, you stupid idiot, we need to find a way to reverse the spell, so I can kill that bastard.'

'And do you have any idea on how to do that, genius?' the white dragon asked 'Because if not, you better watch it because I'm getting hungry and you look awfully yummy.'

'Don't you dare.' The raven said but moved back a little from the huge dragon. The white dragon of the crystal desert looked even bigger than he had been. 'We need to work together to win this. My smarts and your brutal strength combined is our only chance.'

'Like I said,' the white dragon said and stood up to stretch himself. The chat with the raven had made him wide awake and it wasn't even sunrise which made him extremely cranky. 'If you're as smart as you say you are, then stop annoying me any further, because if you don't, you'll be my breakfast.' With that the white dragon walked out of the cave and took off into the sky. Feeling the wind under his huge wings made him instantly feel better. He looked around for something to eat and once his sharp blue eyes had spotted something, he dived down to get it. He burned it to a cinder with it's hot blue lightning like flames and ate it right after that. He didn't like the taste of raw meat and loved the taste the meat got when nice and crispy and a little softened again by the melted ice water that would pool around his prey, for a little while after getting heated by the dragon´s flames. After eating a few small animals, the white dragon looked at the raven that was following him. 'Aren't you hungry, little dragon bird?' He asked teasingly.

'I'm starving actually,' The bird said. 'But I still absolutely can't stand the stench and taste of raw meat and unlike you I currently can't breathe fire to burn the meat.'

Joey looked at him for a moment and then flew to burn the next animal but this time he didn't eat it. 'There, maybe you'll be less annoyingly cranky when you've been fed.'

The raven looked surprised at the huge dragon that could have eaten him at the start and now was helping him to some tasty food. The raven ate it, keeping his eyes wearily on the dragon that was watching him.

'We should leave,' the dragon said, 'there are many predators that like to eat ravens around here. You'll be safest in my lair.'

'You ate birds, too.' The raven said. 'But fine, I do need your help I fear. We need to make a plan to reverse the spell, so I can kill Pegasus.'

'Let's talk about it at my lair.' The white dragon said with a yawn. He was stuffed and felt like having a nap after the early start. 'By the way, I'm Joey.'

'Seto.' He said, still sounding grumpy. 'And you better take this serious.'

Joey rolled his blue eyes and said 'Chill. I simply kill him and then we'll be fine.'

'Don't you dare, he said that I'll never turn back if he dies.' Seto said angry.

'And you swallowed that load of crap?' Joey asked. 'I bet it's just to stop him from getting killed by someone who helps you.'

'I'm not stupid. I know that it might be like that.' Seto said sill upset. 'But you're not the one stuck being a raven for the rest of his life if it isn't a lie.'

Joey looked at him and said: 'Don't worry, I'll mind you then and burn your food for you.'

'You mean until you got me fattened up to burn and eat me?' Seto asked sceptically, remembering the thing about him being tiny from lack of food. It seemed like this white dragon didn't think about anything but food and sleep. He couldn't really hold it against him. This land definitely had it's own harshness, considering the freezing cold but there was much more prey around and no predator in existence was strong enough to harm a grown dragon like he was. He clearly never needed to think about anything other than food and sleep.

Once at the lair, Joey curled himself up while Seto asked and started to shiver from the cold 'I thought we´d plan?'

'You're the smart ass.' Joey said and spread a wing over the raven and pulled him closer to his warm body. 'You plan, I warm you and keep you safe, my little friend.'

'I'm not your friend.' The raven said and saw a sad look in the cold blue eyes before they were closed without another word. 'But thanks anyway.' He added and cuddled up to the strong dragon.

Seto stayed for a few days and still had no idea about what he could do to get turned back. Pegasus must be nearly there and Joey still looked like he didn't care at all. He did keep his promise though and caught one more animal than he ate and left it for Seto. He also kept him warm when lying in his lair. Seto grew more and more used to his presence and started to enjoy watching him flying around in the air. Proud and strong but playful. Every morning he would fly a few loopings before starting to hunt and he seemed to truly love the play time. He always looked happy and carefree but was very kind to the little raven with the strange red eyes, that wasn't truly a raven at all.

This went on until a strange man showed up one morning. Joey had never seen his white hair that covered half his face. 'Joey no, fly away.' Seto screamed, sounding terrified. Joey looked at him for a moment. That was just a human. Nothing special or dangerous at all.

At least he had thought so until he saw a golden ray shooting from the hidden eye of the strange man towards him. Joey saw the raven fly in the way of the light, trying to protect the huge dragon but Joey couldn't bare this poor little creature getting hurt. He moved his wings around the raven, knowing that he might fall out of the sky in the shape of a bunny which probably would kill him. But something happened that no one was expecting. The white wings that were just as white as the crystal like snow beneath them, reflected the light ray and shot it back to Pegasus.

The first thing Joey noticed was how the raven started to change. It's wings getting bigger and the feathers turned to a scaly skin. Joey flew away, towards Pegasus who turned all white and got smaller. Pegasus had just turned into a rabbit, not even knowing what happened yet when a blue flame hit him and burned him to a cinder. The next second Joey was eating the rabbit whole.

He turned after that was done, to look at the raven. But instead a big black dragon that was only a little smaller than Joey landed on the snow covered ground next to the white dragon. Joey stared at the majestic dragon and said: 'The bunny was tasty.'

'I should have known that the first thing you say now would be about food.' Seto said sounding upset. 'He was mine and you took him from me. He turned me into a raven and I wanted to get back at him.'

'Sorry.' Joey said, not sounding sorry at all. 'But my reason to revenge was bigger.'

'You didn't have a reason' Seto said with a growl in his voice.

'I did.' Joey insisted. 'He had turned the only other dragon, that I know exists, into a raven. He might have turned the only other being of the same kind that I am into food. I'm sick of being alone and liked having you around but I was always afraid of hurting you because of him. I needed to revenge that he did. I wanted to get back for what he did to you, because I like you.'

Seto stared at the white dragon whose beautiful movements in the air he had watched for days and walked closer cuddling his head against Joey and said 'Thank you.'

'Will you go back? To the volcanos?' Joey asked, sounding upset but he saw how Seto still shivered, even as a dragon he wasn't used to the cold.

'No.' Seto said. 'You wouldn't like it there and I liked being around you. I like hearing you laugh.'

'But you´ll freeze here.' Joey said 'Let's go and find a home that we'll both like.'

And with that the two dragons flew around the world to find a place that wasn't too warm nor to cold and had plenty of food for the always hungry white dragon. And they lived happily ever after."

Joey smiled at his little son and Joe-Joe said: "You forgot the baby. Joey will get a baby from Seto."

"Two guys can't get a baby." Seth said.

"Why not?" Joe-Joe asked. "You said that with the other dragons too but why? Where do babies come from anyway?"

Joey blushed and said: "You'll learn that in school when you're older."

"I´ll ask Jojo then. I bet she'll tell." Joe-Joe said.

"Tell her the story, too." Joey said with a smile "From what I heard about her from you two she'll get a kick out of it. But don't tell pappy. He won't like being turned into a helpless raven by the likes of Pegasus."

"Yeah, we'll tell her in school tomorrow." Joe-Joe said with a smile. "Come Seth, we´ll paint a dragon on the wall." And with that she was out of the room and Seth gave a sigh.

"How's the book coming along?" Seth asked, while already getting off Joey's leg to follow his sister.

"If you want to, you can read the start later. We'll just send her to bed and you come back to us when she sleeps. You shouldn't have to go to bed with her anyway." Joey said and patted the boy, who smiled at him a little before disappearing. And Joey wished he could see the face of Miss Jojo when she heard that tale and Joe-Joe asked her about babies.

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Author's note:

Thanks to jj, Keedra2173, kitty tokyo uzumaki, mandapandabug and HorsesRain for the reviews!

And I really hope that my #1 fan BrowneyedShamer will be better soon *hug her again*


	4. My day with Seth!

Lily272: This Chapter was written by kitty tokyo uzumaki. The godmother of Seth so please enjoy and leave a review for her.

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**My day with Seth~!**

Kitty: Hello~! I'm so happy to say that I decided to write something else today~!

Momo: Baka, you just went through all that state exam testing let your brain rest!

Kitty: No~! I need to get this down while I still have the urge to write~!

Momo: Let your brain rest! It's been filled with nothing but Harry Potter lately! Besides you obsess over Draco too much, the little prick.

Kitty: 'Glares' What did you say about my blonde?

Momo: Oo; C-Calm down, I-I didn't mean it! Draco is very sexy! One of the most sexiest men on the- OH PLEASE HALF MERCY!

Kitty: 'Starts torturing Momo. Violence too graphic for kids'

Momo: AHHHH~! My spleen~! IT. BURNS~! THE PAIN! MAKE IT STOP! THE. PAAIIIIIINNNNNN! 'Screams more'

Kitty: Heh, sorry about that, umm so I own nothing and the OCs besides mine are Lily's so. . . Yeah. Enjoy!

Oh with the story~!

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"Oh, I hope this is the right address, ok, you can do this! It's not like you haven't kept in touch, I mean nothing's changed, only now he's married and your engaged, other then that nothing has really changed in two years. . . Oh who am I kidding this is gonna be so awkward! I can just feel it! I'm-" the ranting of the frantic girl was cut off short when another voice cut in.

"You're talking to yourself like a crazy person just like usual" a man said from the door with a smile on his face.

"J-Joey!" the girl stuttered, embarrassment raiding off her at being caught in mid-rant.

"Hey, Kitty, long-time no see. How ya doing?" He asked and smiled friendly it was just like it used to be back in the day where they spent a lot of time together.

"F-Fine" Kitty stuttered, her face still flushed but now attained a smile of her own.

"So are you just gonna stand there or are you gonna come in?" Joey asked.

"No~! I'm coming in, Jono." she said teasingly.

"Oh man when are ya gonna stop that nickname?" Joey asked as he let her into the mansion.

"When you stop looking like you're a reincarnation of a greek oracle" She answered.

"So then never?" Joey asked sounding amused and not at all mad about the nickname.

"Never." She confirmed.

" Whose a greek oracle?" asked a new voice, it was young boy with a seemingly shy little girl hiding behind him.

"Oh, Seth and Joe-Joe there you are! Come here Seth and meet your godmother, Kitty." Joey said cheerfully.

"Hello, my name is Seth it's nice to finally meet you 'Aunty' Kitty." Seth said while Joe-Joe gave her a little wave and a little smile, already getting over her shyness a little.

"Kitty, it's nice to meet you as well, Seth, my your quite the looker there. There's gonna be a lot of broken hearts from both men and women, I can just feel it" she said teasingly while Seth's face grew a bit red after hearing someone say that. Joe-Joe smiled in agreement.

"Well don't just stand there, let's go to the living room" Joey suggested.

"Aye, aye Jono!" Kitty said with a mock salute.

"Would you stop with the frickin' nickname please?" Joey asked exasperated.

"Well then stop looking like my dead ancestor." She replied back.

"I'm never gonna win with you? Am I?" Joey asked still smiling.

"Nope" she said with her own personal smirk.

"Whatever." he muttered.

"So what's a Gek Ocle?" asked Joe-Joe and Seth was surprised that she even remembered. She must be really curious about it.

As soon as they got themselves comfortable enough on the couches Kitty explained. "Well you see there was an oracle in my family centuries ago, he looked exactly like Joey the only difference being he has red eyes like your brothers." Kitty said and could see the interest in Seth's eyes while Joe-Joe's widen with interest so much that it looked like they were about to pop out.

"Really?" she asked with a voice full of wonder and Seth also looked like he couldn't wait to hear more.

"How do you know for sure?" Seth asked obviously curious and eager for more knowledge

"Mm-hmm, I just so happen to have a painting of him in my house, who knows maybe I'll take you there one day and give you a tour." She said looking at Seth to prove that she knew for sure and not just from old family legends that might have been messed around with over the years to make them more interesting.

"I'd like that" Seth said looking intrigued while Joe-Joe looked like a child who was just introduced to Santa.

"You know there's a legend of him as well." Kitty said to the curious children.

"Can you tell us about it?" Seth asked with the thirst of knowledge, and the intent of finding out about a person who resembled his dad so much but had eyes just like his own.

"Alright, now let me see, hmm, ok here it goes.

In ancient times when the Egyptians still believed in Ra and Egypt still had a pharaoh, lived a young Greek oracle from Rome. He was the only oracle within miles of anywhere. From the moment he was born the people of his small town knew he had a gift, and it was only after he turned eight that he demonstrated that very gift. He made life changing predictions, they were so amazing that all of the towns people talked about his greatness, and pretty soon the praising words reached the emperors ears. He was so bewitch by the rumors of the boy that he sent his most loyal guards to the town to retrieve the boy and bring him back to the city. 'This boy shall become my own personal oracle and help me rule this city, and perhaps take over other lands.' the emperor commanded."

"What are you three doing and who is this?" a cool voice questioned, cutting in on the story Kitty was telling.

"Seto, your home early" Joey stated.

"Hmm, yes and you brought back an unknown woman into our house." Seto stated dryly while staring at Kitty with cold eyes.

"Hello, my name's Kitty. You must be Seto." She said worried about the look on the others face. There was anger and resentment and he clearly was jealous that an unknown woman was sitting in his house and talked to his husband.

"I see." He said still looking with his famous death glare that she already had heard about.

"Pappy. She was about to tell us a story about a Gek Ocle." Joe-Joe said and ran toward her pappy jumping up to be taking into his arms. "You know what an Oracle is?"

"Yes I know what a Greek Oracle is." He said "But I don't see the reasoning for such a story for a little girl."

"That Ocle looks like daddy and Seth eye's." She said exited and jumped a bit on the tall mans arms. His eyes were still fixed on the woman that was sitting between Joey and his son Seth.

"Oh Kitty I nearly forgot." Joey suddenly said with a smile uncaring about his husbands jealous looks and probably used to it "Did ya bring the book for Seth, or do I have do order that?"

"Sure I got it Jono." Kitty said smiling again after looking into Joey's smiling face. "I got it right here." She said and took out a book from Noir, one of Seth's favorite authors. The other was going by the name of Blue Eyes but in reality he was his dad Joey.

"Why are you calling my husband by such an ridiculous nickname?" Seto asked still glaring at her.

"Just ignore him he'll calm down once he gets that he's just being silly." Joey said still smiling. "But the nickname is ridiculous."

She smiled at Joey a little shy under the now even more angry look of Joey's obviously jealous husband but passed the book to Seth. Joey had told her that he would be more than happy to get that book. Especially since it wasn't due to be on sale for another week. "How did you get that?" Seth asked when eh saw what book he held in his hands and opened it to see that the Author had signed it just for him calling him her adorable favorite fan.

"I can always get my book first." She said with a smile. "I'm Noir, that's how I met Joey. We're both authors and were at the same publisher so we met there."

"I can really have this?" Seth asked and smiled a little towards his dad who grinned back at the boy.

"Told ya he'd love you if you give it to him." Joey said still looking at his son. "Ya didn't have to be so nervous about meeting that smart little god child of yours."

"Enough book talk." Joe-Joe said and looked upset. "I wanna know about the Orcle."

"I'd like to hear about it too, if it isn't to much of a bother to you." Seth said politely looking up while still holding the book like it was a precious item.

"It isn't a bother at all honey. So where was I. Oh yes, the emperor.

Since Jono was brought to the emperor he met the Trojan Prince Paris. Jono had one of his life changing visions. He told Paris about a beautiful woman named Helen. He told him that she was the most beautiful woman in the world and Paris would long to posses and marry her like Jono said he saw happening. Paris ignored Jono's warning though telling him that a war will follow and the winner was still uncertain because a lot of things will need to be considered in it but he also said that Paris chances of success where little. Paris thought of him self invincible though certain that he could arrange to win since he had such a great Oracle at his side and he kept Jono with him at all times. He liked him a lot not only because he was useful but also because of his smashing looks.

That was until he fought with Achilles. Most people believe that he defeated Achilles but in truth Achilles stole Jono from him and ran of not caring about the war as long as he had the pretty blond with the great gift. Unfortunately he too liked Jono a lot but he wasn't a very kind guy and hurt Jono a lot during their time together and Jono was very unhappy with that."

"He can't be mean to Jono." Joe-Joe said not liking that part of the story at all. "Make someone save daddy. Make pappy save daddy."

Kitty smiled at the little girl a little but then looked at Seth. She noticed during her story that he seemed to be familiar with the historical background much more then the girl was and he listened intend nearly staring at her lips to absorb the story. He also seemed to understand some parts that she described as little as possible like all the sexual details in that story. She also noticed how Seto had opted to sit next to his husband while still staring at hear with a death glare that made Kitty shiver a little. She saw how Joey looked at Seto when she shivered and then back at her with Seto behind him and unable to see the blond role his eyes about his jealous husband.

"Did someone help Jono?" Seth asked looking slightly worried "Or did he have to stay with Achilles and get abused?"

"No honey." She said continuing her story about her ancestor. "Someone saved him but it wasn't your pappy since he wasn't alive back then. It was a few years later actually when Achilles was traveling with him through Egypt. A Pharaoh named Atem heard about the Oracle that was traveling with a warrior thought his country and wanted to meet him. He had just defeated some great evil but lost his old Oracle that was using some necklace and wanted to know if the evil might return one day and if yes what actions he could undertake to stop it permanently. Pharaoh Atem sent his most trusted priest to find and bring him the Oracle. The priest was named Seth just as you honey and he rode out with a few dozen man to do as his Pharaoh had told him. He was related to the Pharaoh and always on god terms with him and respected the Pharaoh. But the second he saw the Oracle he started to hate Achilles because he couldn't bare to see a bruise on the skin of the beautiful Oracle. He fell in love with Jono the second he saw him. He fought Achilles and thanks to a whispered little tip from Jono, Seth won that fight and returned to the Palace with the Oracle. From that day Jono was the personal Oracle of the Pharaoh Atem. But he became much more than that. Seth was still in love with him after all but he was more caring and much nicer to him then Paris or Achilles had been and gave him time. It didn't take long though until Jono returned those feelings and became Seth's lover."

"Pappy I wanna play." Joe-Joe suddenly said. "The story is over their happy."

Kitty looked surprised and said "It's nearly over."

"I wanna play with pappy." She said "Or make hot coco with Pappy."

"Seto." Joey said and looked at his husband with puppy eyes that Kitty had never seen before. She nearly squeaked at the sight but worried that Seto would just get all the more jealous and his death glare was still in place and pointed at her. It only disappeared when Seto looked into his husbands puppy eyes. "I wanna have hot coco. Will you make me some coco?"

"Oh fine but quit the eyes already." He said with a little blush and walked over to Seth to whisper something to the boy before he left the room with Joe-Joe.

"Let me guess." Joey said looking with a smile to his son "He told ya to keep an eye on us because the jealous monster is nagging him again."

"Yes." Seth said looking at his dad who was still sitting on Kitty's other side. "He doesn't have a reason though I assume?"

Joey laughed and said "Sure he doesn't. I love him and Kitty got her lovely little fiancé. What was his name again?"

"Saki." Kitty said with a smile that clearly showed the love and devotion she felt for the man she talked about. "Here look at the ring I got. I haven't had a chance to show you yet."

"It's lovely. I really like it." Joey said admiring the silver ring on her finger.

"Kitty." Seth interrupted looking a little timid. "You said the story was nearly over. If the ending isn't nice, would you mind finishing it before Joe-Joe returns?"

"Oh yes that might be better of course." Kitty said and smiled at the boy "You're quiet thoughtful aren't you that's so great I really can see the girls and boy fall for you already. That look and that polite and caring personality ya got there is a sure way to get everyone ya want." Seth blushed a little again but looked curious to his god mother waiting for her to finish the story she'd begun. "Okay I stopped where Seth got Jono as a lover right? And both were happy with each other while it lasted. It didn't last long though because some assassins tried to murder Atem and Jono who saw it happen just moments before could do nothing but jump in the path of the arrow that was about to pierce the Pharaohs heart. He had come to like the royal man and saw him as a friend that he of course wanted to protect. But the arrow he took for that friend took his life and Seth never got over losing him. He completely lost his mind and blamed Atem for his death because if he wouldn't have been Pharaoh that all wouldn't have happened he claimed. Like I said he lost it. But the relationship between the Pharaoh and his once most trusted priest was never the same. Seth fought him and tried to take his throne all to make Atem regret that Jono died because of him. He never forgave Atem."

Kitty felt Joey's incredulous stare on her. Little did she know that this end actually explained a lot to the blond. It explained why Seth had looked like a nice man that was loyal to Atem when they've been in the past but in the visions from Ishizu he had been really mean and fighting Atem.

"Do you know what happened to Seth?" Seth asked curious about the man that shared his name.

"I don't know for sure but he and Atem fought until the end and never made up" Kitty said in a sad voice "But now enough with the unhappy stories. I heard you're quiet a story teller yourself. Maybe we two can go out sometime and you tell me that dragon tale your daddy told me about so much. He said you already told two of those."

Soon Joey only watched them talk about the dragon tales as well as the new book Seth had gotten from his god mother. They got a long great and Joey was happy about it. She even promised to find some time to show the painting of Jono to her. It was made in his time in Egypt and probably paid for by Seth who loved him very much. They continued to talk when Seto and Joe-Joe came back with some hot coco for everyone but Seto who preferred a coffee. Joey smiled at him and whispered "Promise me to never go crazy on Seth and Joe-Joe."

"Why should I?" Seto asked obviously confused.

"Just promise." Joey repeated "They need you especially if something happens to me."

Joey could see the fear raise in Seto's eyes and felt himself being pulled closer to his husband by his strong arms. He smiled reassuringly and said "Don't worry I don't think it will happen. I'm just saying that in the case it does. They'll need you and I would want you to be there for them. You know that right?"

He nodded silently before he started to glare down Kitty some more. "Seto, she's got a fiancé. And she's like family to me so chill out would you?" Joey whispered again. He didn't want to disturb the discussion about the possibilities of Achilles going to Egypt or if he really was felled by Paris.

"Never." Seto whispered and kissed Joey's neck for a moment "I'll never chill when some strange woman is this close to you and allowed to call you some wired nickname and says things about your great looks. Not that I could call her a liar but I hate it that others get to appreciate that too. I want you all to myself."

-Time skip-

The rest of the day Kitty played with the children while Joey and Seto spent some time with each other. Eventually Seto got used to Kitty and the idea of her being around more. However it got time for her to leave and soon enough her boyfriend came to take her home. "Aunty Kitty, Aunty Kitty, some man is here to take you home." Joe-Joe said as she lead a punk-ish looking man with tattoos and piercing into the living room where Joey, Seto, Seth and Kitty where.

"Saki~!" Kitty yelled as she tackled the man down with a hug and smothered his face with kisses.

"Ki-chan" he said with a bored tone.

" Yes Saki-kun?" she asked.

"Get off."

" Ok she giggled as she helped him up. "Ki-chan?" Joey asked teasingly.

"Sh-shut up!" Kitty said with a blush on her face.

"Oh no, I'm not letting this go." Joey said mischievously.

"Aren't you going to introduce us to him Kitty?" Seth asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

"Ahem, ok, yeah, this is my fiancé, Saki Ryuu, Saki this is my best friend, Joey, his husband Seto and their children, Joe-Joe and Seth." Kitty said pointing to each one.

"It's nice to meet you all" Saki said with a bow, while still supporting a bored blank look on his face. Kitty smiled as she hugged Saki's arm making him smile a little as she told him about Seth being her godson. "So then I'll be seeing a lot of you won't I?" Saki said with a smirk.

"Yes you will." Seth replied supporting a small smirk of his own.

"Well you better go, it's getting late and it looks like it might rain so you need to hurry." Joey said.

"Why do they need to leave before the rain Daddy?" Joe-Joe asked.

"Because Saki drives a motorcycle, sweetie." Kitty replied.

"Are those things safe?" Seto questioned showing slight concern.

"Don't worry, Saki's an expert driver." Kitty said with a smile as she said goodbye to the kids with a kiss on their head, with Seth's face coloring a little, a hug to Joey and a handshake to Seto before heading outside and mounting the bike behind Saki. "Bye~! Maybe next time we'll spend some time at my place and I can show you that painting!" She yelled as they drove away. The family just waved goodbye all of them thinking what an interesting day it has been.

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Kitty: I hope you all liked it~! XDDDD A special thanks to Lily for helping me out~! I hoped you liked it!

Momo: -.- It sucked.

Kitty: Quiet you! Or do I need to go call your sister?

Momo: 'sweat drops' A-Are you crazy? You know how she is when she's angry! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!

Kitty: 'Seto glare' Then shut up!

Momo: 'whimper' Yes ma'am.

Kitty: Good, now review please~! 'goes off to hug and cuddle Seth'


	5. Body of Frankenstein

This is part one of a three chapter Halloween special by BrowneyedShamer and me Lily272. This chapter was done completely by BrowneyedShamer. The next one will be up tomorrow and is also by her and the last one was written by both of us. Please enjoy

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**Body of** **Frankenstein**

Jojo Shamer sat at her desk absent mindly chewing on the top of her pen; she signed and pulled it from her mouth. Looking away from the computer screen she'd been glaring at for the last ten minutes she looked at the clock on the wall. It was fifteen minutes to eight and her 'assistances' for the day where late. She pinched the bridge of her nose and resisted the urge to sigh once more. She glanced back at her computer screen and shook her head sadly. It was not her fault that two freaks decided to crash her class and scare all of her students, it was also not her fault the children told their parents and thus following where a bunch of angry phone calls to the headmaster.

"Stupid monkeys!" Jojo growled.

"You have monkeys?" A small voice called out excitedly.

Jojo turned expecting to see her favorite student and stopped, there wasn't a single person around. She shivered and rubbed her arms. "Jaden?"

"Up here!" he cried.

She looked up and gasped loudly, a tiny face with spiked brown hair was peeking out at her though the air vent. "Jaden you get out of there this minute, it's filthy in there."

"Actually it's very clean Ms. Jojo." Jaden replied happily.

Jojo looked up at her student and shook her head; she quickly walked over to her desk and pulled her chair to sit directly below the vent. She climbed on top and was eye-to-eye to the mischievous little boy. She wedged her fingers into the vent and pulled, with a loud clank the vent top came off and Jaden grinned widely at her. She let the metal plate fall to the floor and reached into the small hiding place and pulled out the boy, contrary to how he'd claimed it the top of his head was dusty. And there where dirt stains on his pants. She clicked her tongue and stepped down from the chair, still holding the boy and set him back on the ground, before reaching down to grab the vent plate. She shoved it back in place and stepped down.

"No more vent exploring." Jojo stated turning around to look for Jaden. The spot he had been previously occupying empty. She jogged to the door and looked into the empty hallways. "I'll get him in class."

"Oh so you're that kind of teacher." A voice said from behind her.

Jojo turned around and jumped, clutching the wall for support. Two men in identical purple capes where standing by her chair, still in the middle of the room, with crazy grins. She held her chest and tried to remember to how to breathe normally.

"And you must be my assistances for the day."

"Actually you have us for the whole month of October." The shorter of the two said.

Jojo groaned and face-palmed, this was not her day. "I'm sure another teacher would-."

They looked at each other before bursting into laughter. "We were kicked out of every other class room."

Jojo looked up at the two laughing men and gritted her teeth. "I don't see how scaring teachers and children is something you feel is boastful. There's no skill; however, if either of you so much as tell a scary story without my permission I will cut out one of your trachea's and choke the other with it." She hissed with a gentle smile, no one messed with her students.

The two men quite smiling and backed up slightly. Nodding curtly Jojo walked around the men, reaching between them to drag her chair back to her desk. She sat down and wiggled her mouse, waking up her sleeping computer. "I'm not going to bite." Jojo said with a sigh "But first is first, you're cloaks are a distraction and with little kids they won't stay intact for long, secondly, if I tell you something Do It! No questions asked. I am also not above giving you to time out. Are there any questions?"

The two men solemnly hung their purple cloaks behind her door and had drifted over to stand behind her. Their silence was answer enough. She looked back at them before pointing at her screen. "This is my schedule; we have two science classes followed by snack-time and the naptime."

"Story-time!" The chanted happily, Jojo tried not to roll her eyes.

"Sure why not, but no scary stories." They nodded eagerly.

"After naptime is another science class and then lunch, after lunch is recess and one more science class." Jojo said, the two continued to nod eagerly and she was starting to get worried at their eagerness, but then again she doubted another teacher even told them their schedules.

"I know the two of you know Seth and Joe-Joe," They nodded again, happy smiles on their faces, "Well I have Seth first and last period, unfortunately Joe-Joe is too young to be in any of my classes but she does visit. You may not under any circumstances favor another child, they should all be treated the same."

There was silence as the two absorbed that information, Jojo turned to look at the two men. "I know it'll be hard. I myself favor one child, he's spunky and mischievous and can always make my day, but I can't favor him, it's unfair to the other students. And I'm sure at one point both of you have known what it's like to be passed over for another person." They both nodded solemnly.

Jojo reached out and patted their shoulders comfortingly. "I have to know are you to twins?"

Marik, the shorter of the two looked at her and then his taller counterpart. "No he's my crazy alter-ego."

Jojo blinked slowly, unsure whether he was joking or not, luckily the bell rang loudly thought out the school. Jojo sighed with relief, another topic for another day. She stood up and walked to the door, as a stream of children rushed in. she smiled at all of them but kept her eyes peeled for a certain mop of messy brown hair. Her smile fell when he didn't appear; with a long sigh she closed the door. The students where in their seats whispering loudly and pointing at Marik and Malik. She clapped her hands, quieting the class. A faint knock on the door stopped her next words. She opened the door to find a red-faced Jaden and Seth. With a fond smile she ushered the two boys in and shooed them to the back of the class.

"Now classes as you all know Halloween is coming up shortly in a few weeks, and each class room will be playing some part. I've heard that the cooking classes will have booths and the P.E teachers want to do a haunted house in the gym. So what should the science department do?" Jojo asked with a wide grin!

Malik raised his hand as eagerly as any of the other children, the children all turned to look at him excitedly waving his hand in the air and all lowered theirs with soft snickers. Jojo turned towards the man a vein in her head popping, and a gentle smile twitching ever so slightly. In the back Jaden loudly whispered to Seth that that was her you're screwed face.

"Jaden! Language, ten minutes of silence!" Jojo cried, Jaden quickly buried his head in his arms and the class erupted into more laughter. Jojo turned to the blonde man whose hand was still in the air. She walked to the font of the room and wrote Halloween ideas on the whiteboard before turning to the man. "Yes, Malik what do you suggest we do."

"The Body of Frankenstein!"

The marker fell from Jojo's fingers as she turned to stare wide-eyed at the man, the class 'ohh'-ed in awe, all eighteen kids, except Jaden who remained buried in his arms and Seth who was reading looked up at Malik as if he was a god come to earth. Jojo desperately wanted to burst into tears at the stupidity of the two men, this was an elementary science class, and in no way could the class even think about resurrecting dead body much less how to acquire the body parts. She shivered at that thought.

"Malik that's a nice idea but we-."

"First we have to get lots of boxes, label them after body parts and then we fill them up with food. Cooked spaghettis can be the intestines and peeled grapes the eyes." Malik said proudly, his grin of actual amusement with no hint of insanity.

"We can make a hand by filling a latex glove and freezing it and pouring ketchup all over it." Marik joined in excitedly

The class cheered at the idea and Seth even put down his book to stare up at the two men. Jojo was impressed that the idea had intrigued even Seth so she allowed the two to continue. The thought was a good one, and one that could easily be set up. She grinned and wrote down Body of Frankenstein on the board. Turning to the class she smiled.

"Ok, are there any other suggestions?" Her question was met with blank stares. A look she knew meant no one else wanted another idea. "Well since we don't have any other suggestions, lets vote! Raise ur hand if you want to do the Body of Frankenstein."

Twenty small hands raised wildly in the air followed by two older one. Twenty- two votes in totally. It was unanimous! Jojo shrugged and circled the word on the board. "Ok then we'll do the Body of Frankenstein."

"Yeah!" Jaden cried! Lifting his head from his arms in excitement and jumping to his feet, causing his chair to fall back with a clatter.

"Jaden!" Jojo warned, "Ten more minutes!"

* * *

Authors note:

Thanks to lilgurlanima and BrowneyedShamer for the review.


	6. Halloween Festival Part 1

**Here is part two of the Halloween special. Written by my friend BrowneyedShamer. **

* * *

**Halloween****Festival****Part****1**

"Ms. Shamer, where do babies come from?" Joe-Joe asked innocently.

Jojo coughed in surprise and had to cover her mouth to stop form spraying the girl with her water. "W-What?"

"Well you're a teacher and I wanted to know where babies come from?" Joe-Joe asked with a hesitant smile.

Jojo ran a hand through her hair, curling a piece around her finger. She turned to look at the small audience surrounding her. Jaden's eyes where wide, and Seth, as always was buried in a book, what worried her was that Malik and Marik where watching her with rapt fascination. She prayed they knew but a part of her deep down whispered that they might not. She let out a deep sigh and turned to face the girl. At first she'd decided not to answer but she remember Joe-Joe and Seth had two daddies and she doubted either one wanted to have this particulate conversation with their daughter.

"Well Joe-Joe what do you know?"

Joe-Joe scrunched her face in thought, as her short legs swung beneath her. Jojo sat back slightly and regarded the group, keeping a careful eye on her other students that ran about the play-ground. She was surprised Malik and Marik weren't out there with the other students, but concluded they also favored the three just as she did. Joe-Joe rested her head in her hands and looked up at the science teacher before grinning widely.

"When two people love each other, they have a kid. Like our dads did. Babies also don't come form eggs unless your a dragon" Joe-Joe said.

Jojo nodded in agreement. "Yes that's true but did you know that in order for a child like you." She said tapping the girl's nose, causing her to burst into giggles. "There must be a man and a woman."

Joe-Joe tilted her head and simply nodded. It was Jaden that spoke up. "How come?"

Jojo turned to her favorite student with a fond smile, she paused for a second wanting to explain it in such a way he would understand. "Can you summon monsters on a duel disk without a deck of cards?"

"No!" Jaden, Malik and Marik all exclaimed.

Jojo nodded again, happy they understood her analogy. This conversation would have been way more awkward if she had to think of another. "Right, then think of a women like a duel disk and a man like a card deck. You need both to summon the monsters on the field. Otherwise they won't appear."

"And two card decks can't make monsters so that's why our dads couldn't make their own kids." Joe-Joe mused after a moment.

Jojo nodded in encouragement. "Yes that's true but just because they cannot make their own doesn't mean they can't have them. All decks have monsters in them. In fact dads are the perfect people to have kids." Jojo said with a wide smile.

"What about mom's?" Seth asked.

Jojo grinned at the tiny genius. "Mom's make just as good parents single or together." The teacher glanced out at her other students. Watching their happy faces flushed with the chilly fall air. Glancing down at her watch she stood up and called the students in. They grumbled but lined up at the door regardless. Jojo ushered the small group in from the playground and down the hall. Malik and Marik chatting with the kids as they walked. Once inside the class room Jojo left her two assistants in charge as she led Joe-Joe back to her own class room. The little girl held her hand humming as she skipped towards her class room. Before she opened the door to release the girl back to her class, Jojo knelt until she was at eye level with the white haired child.

"I'm very happy that you asked me such an important question, and I want to let you know that if you ever have any other questions, you know where to find me." Jojo said gently as she stood up and stroked Joe-Joe's hair. The girl gave her a quick hug before dashing into her room, headed straight for the stuffed animals.

Chuckling to herself Jojo walked back the hallway and into her classroom. It didn't surprise her one bit to find her class working diligently on their class work. Marik and Malik walking in-between the desks and assisting where needed. Even Jaden seemed to be doing his work, but one could never assume too much he could just as well be drawing. Adjusting her lab coat, Jojo walked to the front of the class and clapped her hands. The students looked up, setting aside their work. Malik and Marik move to sit at two desks she'd moved in just for them at the back of the class. It had only been two weeks since she was assigned the two men and she couldn't even think of them leaving. She loved how willing they were to help and she'd yet to grade a single paper since they arrive, which took a large weight off her shoulders. The two men were also quick to learn science, that and it wasn't that hard. Marik was better helping the children study and do homework, while Malik enjoyed helping more with experiments and labs. Jojo hadn't said anything yet but she wanted to ask the two if they'd like to stay on as her assistants. She'd be more than willing to convince her Uncle to give them some sort of pay. And the two seemed to enjoy interacting with the children. And what was better than to be paid for what you love doing and having fun?

"Ok class I'm sure you all know that tomorrow is-"

"Halloween!" Marik and Malik cheered happily, the class erupting in cheers.

"Yes, and since the festival is also tomorrow. I thought we'd take today off and create our own Frankenstein." Jojo motioned to the back of the class, every head turning around to stare as the two assistants dramatically reviled the grocery bags, and assortment of boxes behind them. Twenty eyes lit up and cried in excitement. It was a mad rush to get to the back of the class. Voices yelling and hands flying.

"I want to decorate the boxes!" Sarah a small blond cried.

"Let's have bones." Tokeya said to his friend.

"No we need bugs!" Kaito replied back

"Malik this is great!" Lindsey squeal in excitement as the man gave her a box with a hole in the top and a box of markers

"Oh Marik will you dress up?" Thomas a pudgy little boy asked.

Jojo watched as the two men smiled at the children passing out boxes and opening the bags to revel their treasures inside. The children quickly split into groups. Four girls started decoration the boxes, and three labeling them. All of the boys and two of the girls had started loudly arguing on what food should be what body part and since their where only six boxes, they were limited on their choices. Jojo was pleased to see Seth working with the other kids, Jaden excitedly at his right.

"What do we have first?" Jojo asked the feuding group.

"Eyes." The group chorused.

"We need grapes." Kaito called out. Malik pulled out a bunch of grapes and handed them to the boy. Kaito high fived Tokeya and they went off to find a box they liked.

"Brains!" Two other boys called out. They were handed a sliced melon by Marik.

The two girls thought before they answered. "A heart." The smaller of the two said.

Malik grinned widely. "We searched extra hard for this." He said handing the two girls a bag.

They looked inside and blanched but giggled in excitement at the squishy old tomato

The last two boys wanted the intestines and insisted on trying out the soggy spaghetti first. The too scampered off to get a box and join the others. Jaden and Seth where last. Jaden wanted to do the skin but after Malik had convinced him they hadn't planned for that and thus didn't have the ingredients he settled for the bones, and took the carrots in good spirits. Jojo walked to the end of the room, smiling and complimenting each team as she passed.

"You only handed out five body parts. I thought we were doing six?" Jojo said.

"We're doing the last one." Malik said.

"What is it?" Jojo asked curiously.

"It's a surprise. You'll have to stick your hand in the box to find out." Marik answered with an equally mischievous smile.

Jojo backed up holding her hands. "Umm, on second thought, I don't actually have to know."

"Are you scared to put your hand in a box?" Malik teased.

Jojo shook her head in denial, but the two had seen thought her and their smiles took on a whole other meaning. "I bet you're scared of ghost stories." Marik said, his voice dropping low.

"You should be careful tomorrow; you never know what might POP out and scare you." Malik joined in as they two men walked past the shocked teacher to join the children.

Jojo felt a chill run up her spine, making her whole body shake. She didn't like their tone, and gods she didn't; want to admit it but it was true she was terrified of ghosts and monsters. Shaking her head clear of those dark thoughts Jojo took in a deep breath, clearing her spinning mind. Turing around with a smile she walked over to the nearest group. Jaden was babbling to Seth about the costume he really wanted.

"-She told me that they didn't have enough money but I still want to be a hero." Jaden said happily his eyes sparkling.

Jojo quickly sized up the small boy, determining he'd be a medium. And instantly she wondered if the local costume shop would have an extra she could purchase. If nothing else she could call in a few favors and have one made. No child should be left costume-less for Halloween; it was the same as no tree for Christmas. It was just wrong. She slid into a desk next to Jaden, who had pulled Seth's desk closer to his.

"Seth what do you want to be?" Jaden asked as he took a box one of the girls had finished decorating that was labeled BONES in a shaking handwriting.

"I don't know." Seth replied. "But Joe-Joe has been talking about dragons for a while now, so I assume she'll want to be one."

"Aww, she'd be so cute." Jojo cooed.

The bell rung and the students jumped up, clamoring to get their bags and rushed out the door, yelling goodbyes. Seth and Jaden lagged behind and had started to help clean up before Jojo shoo-ed them out. "I'll see the two of you with your parents and friend tomorrow at five. We have trick- or-treating at all the class rooms first and then the Halloween fair in the gym."

Jaden's shoulders sunk at the word family. Jojo quickly latched onto his elbow and bent down to whisper into his ear as he left. "Come see me before you got to the gym. I have a surprise." Jaden flashed her a bright smile and followed after Seth.

"Teacher has a favorite." Malik sing-songed as he came to stand behind her.

"Favorite, favorite." Malik sun along.

Jojo rolled her eyes and closed the door, before surveying the mess in the room. She sighed and started to gather the mess, and straighten up the desks. Malik had gotten a broom and was sweeping the tile floor while Marik was collecting the boxes.

"What will you two be dressed as?" she asked, hoping they'd tell her so she cool keep a look out for them. She wasn't surprised when they refused to tell her.

"How about you?" Malik asked as he swept the glitter and scraps of paper into a dust pan.

"I was thinking of a fairy, but since we're doing the body of Frankenstein I thought being a mad scientist would fit perfectly."

Marik shook his head. "You're a scientist every day. Halloween is a day when you dress up as someone else."

"So a fairy?" Jojo questioned.

"Nah!" Malik said.

"Then what?" Jojo asked.

They turned to smile at her, and it was that same smile that made her skin crawl. "The dark magician girl!"

* * *

Authors Note:

Thanks to kitty tokyo uzumaki and lilgurlanima for the review.

And By the way, I rearranged the chapters a little and will do it again a few times because I this area all drabbles but i try to put them into a possible time line. And then I couldn't keep a chapter where Seto and Joey are together before the first school day where they weren't together. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this three part Halloween chapter. The newest one will be at the end thought. Just to make it easier to find for those who have already read all the others.

The last part of the Halloween special will be up tomorrow and is done in team work by me and BrowneyedShamer. And then there will be one more up the day after. In that Jaden will lose his foster parents but Seto will help him find a permanent home.


	7. Halloween Festival Part 2

◊**HalloweenFestivalPart2**◊

Festival: 4:35pm

Jojo looked down at her outfit and couldn't stop the grin on her face. At first the idea shocked her but once she had the outfit on, she thought she looked quite cute as the dark magician girl. She was quite pleased one of her friends had been able to help her scrounge up an outfit at the last minute. She was even more delighted her friend had been able to help her with Jaden's costume; they'd worked long into the night to finish it. Between the two of them they guessed his size and fit. Her friend Lillian called the outfit 'Elemental Hero.' Jojo prayed the small boy would like it. Double checking her booth, Jojo nodded in satisfaction. A black table cloth was draped over a folding table, and the six boxes, that held the Body of Frankenstein was proudly displayed. At the end of the table was a box of hand wipes, a bottle of hand sanitizer and a trash can. Other booths where up and in the back of the large gym a section was roped off for the Haunted maze that went through half the gymnasium and then looped outside.

The Home-economics' teachers where cooking up a storm and the gym smelt of the chill fall air and sweets. Jojo hummed as she walked out of the gym and towards her room. She had to make sure her candy bowl was filled so when the kids came knocking she'd have enough candy for them, and a little extra for some parents. Jojo personally thought it was great that the kids trick-or-treated at the school, some neighborhoods just weren't same, and some kids didn't even live in neighborhoods nor had one around them. And other might not have anyone to take them treat or treating and Jojo feared that Jaden would be one of them and hoped that he got plenty of treats here.

She reached her door and smiled at the paper skeleton on the door that held a beaker of an unknown green substance. Opening the door she let out a shriek that echoed through the halls. Clutching her chest, Jojo willed her heart to stop loudly thumping in her chest.

Her room was completely redecorated and looked like a real witch might live there. There were even few huge rubber spiders sitting in a web around the corners. The room was darkened with black curtains that hardly let any light in and the bit of light that was there came from some candles that were under a little metal holder with a cauldron on top on each of the kid's desks. There were magic books next to them as well. But the most light came from embers where a flame would come up every now and then and on which was on another stand in front of her desk and above that was an even bigger cauldron that held some green slimy stuff slowly bubbling in it. On both sides of the big cauldron, where two other people, and together they moved a stick through the sickly looking stuff. One of them was a Dark Magician and on the other was the Dark Magician of Chaos. With their faces covered, just the sound of their giggles, that had started right after her scream, reminded her alot of her two assistants.

"What did you do to my room?" Jojo asked outraged that they had dared to start an open fire in her room.

"That is the Halloween dress up for your room." Marik said with a scary smile.

"You're too easily scared to know how to do things on Halloween, so today you're our assistant." Malik agreed.

"That's why we wanted you to dress as the Dark Magician Girl." Marik added happily nodding. "And not only scientists can create a Frankenstein. I bet a magician can do."

"But you can't start a fire in a school." Jojo said still outraged. "Much less a science lab."

"You do it all the time in you experiments." Marik said still smiling.

"And don't worry teach, we got this covered, nothing can happen." Malik said and looked like that made him sad rather than happy. He couldn't like the idea of setting the school on fire, could he?

"He's right." Marik said a bit more happy looking then the other "We like it here, we don't want to burn it down."

"And that means something." Malik agreed, "We love to burn things."

Jojo glared at them but it was too late to do much about it and she had to admit that the get up was great. No matter how much it had scared her at first. "Are you really sure that this is safe?" She asked just to be sure that the school couldn't burn down. The stand did look fine to her.

"Of course it's safe we used that contraption a million times before." Marik said and produced two fire extinguishers from behind her desk. "But since you always say 'Safety first' we have these ready for emergencies, but nothing should happen."

"We're experts on fire." Malik agreed "Trust us."

She really liked the two men by now but that evil smile on his face wasn't very comforting. "Fine but the second the trick and treating is over you put that fire out, understood?" She said. "And what is that disgusting stuff boiling in there anyway?"

"Oh that," Marik said innocently. "It's a magic potion that will turn innocent kids into dangerous flesh eating zombies."

"And now seriously?" Jojo said hoping that he was joking but with them she wouldn't really be surprised if they at least believed it to be such a potion because it surly stood somewhere that way.

"We are serious." Malik said.

"But I have to say that I am surprised that hot vanilla pudding with green food coloring can turn kids into zombies." Marik added with a grin, followed by a wink and Jojo was glad that they simply seemed to be immersed in their roles instead of taking it seriously about that slime being a magic potion.

"Would you like to try some?" Malik asked "You're so far past being a kid, you'll be safe."

"Are you calling me old?" Jojo asked and Marik and Malik both paled at the scary look on Jojo Shamer's face.

"Of course not." Marik said quickly.

"We just meant that you can't be a little kid." Malik said and both looked at each other unsure exactly what to say to defuse the look on the teachers face.

After a second of thought both faces lit up and they said together "You're figure is much to mature and beautiful to be that of a little girl like Joe-Joe."

"Nice save." Jojo said a little happier. She was sure that those two had just come up with that one but at least it had come to mind after just a little moment of thought. And she was sure that neither one really had intended to be mean to her to begin with. She thought about trying the slime for a moment, because it might be good to test the concoction before a child will be permitted to try that disgusting stuff; however, she really didn't like the idea of tasting it. Who knew how good or bad those two cooked. "May I see the recipe before I decide?" She asked hoping that it would be comfort her.

Marik got out a page that was printed out from the internet and Jojo was glad to see that it really was a normal recipe for Vanilla pudding with a bit of green food coloring.

"Where did you get the ingredients from?" Jojo asked just in case they hadn't gotten one of them and exchanged it with something else, like salt for sugar or even worse, some frogs for the food coloring.

"It's there." Marik said and both pointed towards her desk. On it where jars with living and crawling spiders, bugs and worms as well as plates with round glibbery red little things and one with green glibbery long thin things and even a little bowl with something that looked a lot like chopped up chocolate. In front of the red stuff was a paper with the words 'Mice heart's' on it. In front of the green one stood 'dead radioactive worms'. And in front of the bowl was 'roasted chopped flies'.

"Please tell me you're kidding me." Jojo said disgusted. There had to be something else in that cauldron, there just had to be.

"Look into the bin." Marik said while Malik was shaking with laughter. Happy about the disgusted look on Jojo's face.

She walked over to the bin and saw a few empty milk cartons first. She looked through for a moment just to be safe and found everything else they would have needed to make that pudding, including the green food coloring. What surprised her were the packages for green and red jello. She eyed the plates for a moment in disgust. There was nothing worse than jello. She also found some chocolate wrapping and was positive that the 'flies' was what they had looked like, harmless chopped chocolate.

"We made the jello with a bit less water than the package said." Marik informed her.

"Just to make sure they would stay in shape." Malik added.

"We also got some plastic plates with a plastic covers like they use in restaurants with take out." Marik said again.

"We thought it would be a great and fun treat to give the kids and they can add some Mice heart or worms or even roasted flies." Malik finished smiling happily.

"Aren't you going a little over the top here?" Jojo asked. They were supposed to give the kids some treats like chocolate bars or a small bag of crisps. And no matter how good the idea was, it would be a lot of work to get each kid a plate ready and let them chose some extra ingredients like the jello and chocolate.

"Like I said, you know nothing about Halloween." Marik said disappointed.

"You really need to learn a lot from us." Malik added smiling evilly "We're the masters of scaring people."

"I believe that." Jojo said "But we're going to have to get a lot of kids some of that slimy stuff and it will take a lot of time."

"Don't worry." Marik said "We have it covered."

"We have plenty of mice heart and stuff ready behind the desk and we will make a cue." Malik said "The plates are on one side and then after the kids get one each Marik will give them one big ladle full of potion and then the kids walk past me and I give them three little spoons of one or all of the extra stuff and then they walk too you and you'll close it up."

"That way it won't take long at all." Marik said. "Oh please let us do this Miss Jojo."

"We just want the kids to be happy." Malik said "And we'll be really careful that no kid burns themselves. We promise."

Jojo sighed heavily. How could she possibly say no now? She was sure that the kids would love this and it was an interesting idea. Something the kids surely hadn't seen before. She hadn't seen anyone do something like this especially in a school or a normal trick or treating. It probably was supposed to be for a Halloween party rather than a treat but at least it was something. "Will the plates close properly? So that the pudding won't leak all over the other sweets." Jojo asked.

Marik just grabbed one of the plates that was already closed and tossed it to Malik. They played ball with it for a moment before throwing it without a warning over to Jojo. She just managed to cached it. "Open it." Marik said with a smile and she did and saw that there was already some in. It had turned brown, probably because of the chocolate or the red jello Green pudding with red jello would also turn it brown.

"Catch." Malik said and threw her a plastic spoon and added "Try it."

"Is there jello in this?" She asked. She really hated that stuff.

"No just flies." Marik said and Jojo tried.

She regretted it after the first taste and hear snicker from Malik who added a little late "And mice hears and radioactive worms."

She shivered but at least none of the kids could get food poisoning. It tested as disgusting as vanilla pudding with chocolate and disgusting red and green jello should.

"This is wicked." Jojo heard the voice of her favorite little student and turned around. Jaden was wearing an old looking pair of jeans and a wide washed out shirt. He had a bit of paper stuck to the shirt with some tape and on it was a big H probably for hero. He also had a cape made of an old and plain table cloth died around his neck. It was better than nothing but Jojo was sure that he would love the one she had for him.

"Hey Jaden you're just in time." Jojo said and passed him the costume. She was really happy that she had it.

Jaden's eyes got huge "Wow where did you get this?" He asked happily.

"I had it lying around and thought it might fit you." Jojo lied. She didn't want him to notice too much that he was her favorite little student. "I didn't know of another child that might like it so I brought it for you."

"You're the best." The boy said and gave her a hug. "I'll go to the bathroom to change and then I come back to trick or treat you…I hope you don't have a treat, I would love to trick ya."

"I bet you would." Jojo said "But Marik and Malik got a great treat for you."

"Yeah a magic potion that will turn you into a zombie?" Malik said.

"Really?" Jaden asked excitedly and looked at the cauldron. "Can I have some now?"

"Later." Jojo said. "And now go change."

A little while later the room was filled with kids that wanted their treat. The kids must have talked about it already and Jojo was happy to see all smiling children. Joe-Joe came with Seth and Jaden and she was already a little more hyper then usually. She probably had already eaten a treat to much. But she was cute as a little Blue-Eyes White Dragon while her brother was the Red-Eyes B. Dragon. They just looked adorable. Seth with his piercing eyes really looked sort of scary while his sister resembled the toon version a bit more than the scary one her pappy had. She was truly adorable and both had a matching cuddly toy and Joe-Joe insisted that those where their baby brother and sister. Jojo didn't see their fathers at first because the girl had two other guys with white hair that look nearly exactly the same next to her and Jojo wondered if they were some sort of relatives that hadn't been able to care for the girl.

Seth was next to the famous duelist Yugi Muto and a look alike they called Yami. After talking to the kids for a moment it turned out that Yami was the god father of Seth and 'Fluffy unka Kura' (the guy with the little wilder white hair) was the god father of Joe-Joe.

Those look alikes seemed to have the same differences in appears as Marik and Malik so Jojo asked this 'Kura' Jokingly "Let me guess. You're his alter ego?" And pointed grinning to the other white haired guy named Unka Ryou.

"No." He answered "I'm a spirit from the past and used to possess him like the stupid Pharaoh possessed the midget."

Jojo was just about to chide him for using such a language while wondering who he meant with that, when Seth interfered "Don't bother chiding Bakura. And just to let you know, Yami is a Pharaoh and the other naturally Yugi. But this is really confusing and I'm not sure how to explain their stories rationally and even pap's said that he doesn't know how to do that with what he witnessed but I'm starting to believe that he too is trying to tell me stories."

"Pappy would never lie." Joe-Joe said "Yami was a Pharaoh and my fluffy unka Kura was a thief but he is nice now and pappy was a priest of Yami's and daddy was an ocle (oracle) and pappy got cranky when daddy got hurt and died and was really mean to unka Yami."

"How do you know?" Yami asked and even Seth wondered that. Joe-Joe hadn't heard the end of the story.

"I dreamt it." Joe-Joe said with a sweet smile before looking at the extra ingredient Malik had done in her 'potion', "Miss Jojo, are those really mice hearts?"

Jojo had to smile at her terrified and slightly disgusted look. "No little sweetie. Those are just little bits of jello."

"Yummy." The girl said and Jojo shivered a little, how anyone could find that stuff yummy was beyond her.

Jojo was glad that a little while later when the trick or treating was over and Malik and Marik had poured water over the fire, turned of all the candles and promised to return the room to its normal unmagical state, she saw the siblings again in the gym. This time with their fathers as well as the other four.

Their fathers really were a cute couple and Jojo can hardly understand why it had taken them so long. She had thought them to be together when she first saw them but found out from Jaden that their dad was about to leave them. It didn't take long though till Joe-Joe had mentioned that Seth had turned them into Pegasus bunnies and gotten them together. Jojo still didn't know what a Pegasus bunny was but the only thing that mattered where that they were together now and happy.

Right now Seto Kaiba had an arm around his slightly smaller husband who looked around nearly as excited as Joe-Joe did. They came to the body of Frankenstein too and Joe-Joe had to use the unbelievable force of her puppy eyes to make her unka Kura and her pappy to put their hands inside of the boxes.

First were Yami, Yugi and Ryou though and while they all took a turn to put their hands in Jojo heard this Bakura say something really outrageous to the little girl. It began harmless with "You know my darling little devil, I found out about a really great sport. I bet your pappy will love it, you should use your devilish puppy eyes to make him try it out."

"What sport?" Joe-Joe asked innocently but her eyes were glowing with excitement.

"It's called cliff diving and it's a real kick." This Bakura said "And I already found the perfect cliff really high with lots and lots of spiky rocks in the water."

"That's great." Joey said and Jojo Shamer was shocked. "But I think we should rather let pappy start at the pool because high cliffs with lots and lots of spiky stones might be thrilling but also dangerous and I don't want him to get hurt."

"Don't worry." Ryou said quietly with a bright blush to Miss Shamer. "Bakura is never alone with Joe-Joe."

"I bet its better that way." Jojo Shamer said. Surprised at the disappointed glare Bakura threw Joey. It seemed like he really wanted Joe-Joe to talk her pappy to jump off a cliff. She would have to talk to Seth or one of the two 'Monkey unkas' about this. Those two knew the siblings privately and might know more about this unka Kura.

"Yeah we go swimming with pappy and I see him jump. I wanna jump too daddy." Joe-Joe said.

"You'll first need to learn how to swim." Joey said.

"Or make sure that your daddy sees you." Bakura said "He'll pull you out again."

"But that's dangerous." Seth said to Joe-Joe "And I would be really sad if daddy wasn't fast enough and daddy and pappy would be too."

"Then I won't." Joe-Joe said still exited "But you have to help me swim."

"I'll teach ya honey." The girls dad said and picked her up with a glare at Bakura.

Jojo saw Joey putting his hand into one box after the other making a disgusted face and probably overdoing it because Joe-Joe giggled at his faces and put an hand in tight after making the same face. Just like the other three before him Joey looked surprised at the last box and then to Seth, "You said that the monkey unkas made this last one?"

"Yeah, why?" Seth asked surprised.

"I just hope they played by the rules." Joey mumbled to more to himself.

"Yuck," Joe-Joe said after putting her had in that one. "There is a hand in there!"

"Really?" Bakura asked his eyes shining. He put his hand in and said "Cool." Before pulling one of the hands out only to look disappointed at the latex clove that was filled with frozen ketchup. Jojo was relieved that it wasn't anything too bad in that last box. "How boring." Bakura said now.

"You cheated." Seth stated looking into a book that he had with him like always.

"Maybe we should punish him." Seto Kaiba said with an evil smile and whispered something to his daughter."

"Yeah." The girl cheered. "Unka Kura has to be my pony in the haunted house."

"Never." The man said crossing his arms.

"But don't you love me?" Joe-Joe said and her teacher smiled at the look on Bakura's face. Now she understood why he had called her puppy eyes devilish. He clearly couldn't say no and picked her up from Joey's arm and said "Of course I love you my darling little devil, I'll be the little dragons pony." He looked completely resigned while Ryou said "I'll come along." With a happy smile."

"Don't you want to go to the haunted house?" Joey asked his son Seth.

"I'll wait for Jaden." Seth said "He hopes that his foster parents are here soon."

Seto looked at the time. "Shouldn't they be here by now?"

"She said they might not make it because she wasn't feeling well when I picked him up." Joey said.

"So you two brought him here?" Jojo asked "Yes, Jaden had asked us because her father wouldn't be back from work in time and they only have one car and he has it."

"I see." Jojo said and was sad that Jaden would be disappointed. He had been through a few foster homes and only joined her class less then a year ago because he moved to the latest one but they never truly seemed to care for him. They were always busy with something else. And Jojo saw that Joey and Seth worried for him too.

"Why don't you go and ask him if he wants to go there now." Seto asked his slightly worried looking son. "I bet he can use some distraction."

Jojo saw Seth walk to the entrance and saw Jaden standing there looking sad. "Thank you for taking Jaden too." Jojo said to the couple. "I just wish he had a nicer home. He's such a sweet and energetic boy."

"Can't you adopt him?" Yugi asked. "You seem so nice I bet you're a great mum. And Seth and Jojo talk about you all the time."

"I can't." Jojo said disappointed. "I'm still single and you know that it isn't easy. Even Seto Kaiba couldn't adopt without marrying."

"Too bad." Joey said "The kids really like ya. But ya have to tell me what Joe-Joe meant when she told me that Seto and I are a cards deck and my sister and my pals Kitty and Mai are duel disks"

Jojo was just about to answer when a book was pressed into her hand. She looked down and saw Jaden look up into her eyes "You'll need to confiscate that. No kid should be allowed to read on Halloween." Jaden said when Seth caught up to the now smiling boy. "Let's go Seth. Miss Jojo will mind that stupid book while we look around."

"Hey," Joey said "Didn't you guys forget something?"

"What?" Jaden asked.

"Us." Joey said "I want to go to the haunted house too."

Jaden laughed and said to Seth "Your dad's such a child."

"Well didn't ya know." Joey asked "Parents are there to embarrass and annoy the kids." And then he picked Jaden up and threw him in the air before catching him. Jojo saw Seth make a step back but Joey just rolled his eyes and said "Don't worry I know ya hate that." And picked him up too. After that they all walked away to enjoy the rest of the Halloween fair and Jojo was glad that they all were having a good time. She liked them all and was sort of hoping that one of the other couples would adopt Jaden. Preferably not Bakura though.

* * *

Thanks to lilgurlanima and kitty tokyo uzumaki for the reviews.

And thanks to BrowneyedShamer for working on this halloween special with me! I loved writing it with you! *hug*


	8. Halloween with the Kaibas

Hello everyone! I'm a guest host for the story 'Dream Team' and am excited to say that I am the Godparent 'Rain' contained within Lily272's story! She asked me if I would like to write a chapter for this, and as you can see was more than excited to do so! I hope you'll like it, for I am a very different writer from our glorious author- so here's to hoping!

Special Note: In real life I actually have this problem- When I feel the need to speak properly to someone, I have a terrible [real] accent, but can shut it off when I try, (_As I portray in this fic-let_). But as I actually am becoming a teacher, it has developed into an unconscious habit to speak properly in front of young children, as I want to set a good example for them! Sorry if it seems confusing as I use it in this chapter several times!

Disclaimers: As I am an anime/manga obsessor in real life, I must say that any and all games, characters, and manga/anime/movies/ and music are not owned by myself, I only go half-sies with Lily272 on 'Rain' and take no credit for anything else! Thank you for your patience, and on with the chapter!

**From HorsesRain**

**Halloween with the Kaibas**

Rain raced up the driveway in her orange VW Beetle happily, excitement dripping from her every pore as she quickly re-brushed out her short, messy brown hair. Her blue-green eyes rolling in their sockets as she looked over the decorated front lawn of the Kaiba mansion with an impressed laugh, "Wha was I expectin? It's Halloween for Jiminy's sake! Who wouldn' get hyped up bout that?" But it was once she got to the front door that it hit her, 'Oh ya, I c'n add Seto ta dat list.. He's always been kin'a downer bout holidays..! But lookit wha da couple of awesome kids n' a kick ass husband c'n do!'

As soon as Rain pushed the much too flashy button to alert the family inside of her appearance, the door was thrown open by an exuberant Joe-joe. Who, when seeing her god mom Rain standing in front of her, jumped up and down several times and launched herself into the other's arms. "Rain-y! It's Halloween! It's Halloween!"

Rain smiled just as brightly and picked the snow white haired child up, unconsciously dropping her accent as words poured from her mouth with just as much enthusiasm, "I know sweetie! What are you going to be for Halloween? I've been trying to figure it out for myself all month, but I couldn't come up with anything you _wouldn't_look adorable in!" Joe-joe giggled and once placed down grabbed Rain's hand and dragged her inside. Upon closer inspection, the woman smirked as they flew past an array of Halloween decorations _in_the house. "Man, You guys really went all out didn't you?" She said as they entered the dining room were everyone was seated. She looked over Seth, who had decided to stay home from this little outing and smiled before walking over and ruffling his hair, "You make sure to take good care of your father now! He's hopeless when it comes to being alone at home, so make sure he eats and stuff, ok?"

Seth just smoothed out his now messy hair before smiling up at Rain lightly, "Don't worry, I ensure you he will be perfectly fine.. It's nice to see you are doing well." Rain's smile grew and replied, "Of course! I may get colds often, but I'm built like a tank!" She flexed a muscle before turning to Seto and Joey, "Welp, I can promise to you this will be an exciting adventure Seto, and I'll keep everyone within eyesight, so don't you worry!" Seto's smirk fell into place immediately, "Can you assure me of that..? You're just as excited as they are, and I can honestly say you're like a giant child on holidays." Rain pouted and crossed her arms, "Well aren't you being a ball of hypocritical sunshine..! But anyways, I'm going as a mob boss this year, so no one will mess with me or them, I _assure_you..!" Joey laughed happily before stating, "Is it another one of your cosplay characters..?" Rain grinned in satisfaction, "Yup! I'm going as Tsuna the Vongola boss this year, but as his 'in the future' older self, so ya! ..What about you Joey?" Joey grinned as he pressed his thumb to his chest, "Well, I hadn't really made a final decision until this morning, but I'm thinking about going as a ninja..! Like an actual one, not a cartoonized one!"

It was then that Joe-joe piped up from her spot next to Rain, who had then taken a seat at the table "Rain-y! I'm going as Blue Eyes White Dragon! Pappy got me a suit one!" The woman laughed before responding to the girl, "That is so cool! When I was around your age, I was in a felt suit dinosaur costume like that, I never wanted to take it off! I'll have to show you pictures the next time I come over..!" Rain then distinctly heard Seto murmur not to give Joe-joe any ideas, causing her laughter to flood from her once more as they all got up from the table and began getting Joey and Joe-joe ready for their departure to Rain's house. Once they made it that far, they would then dress up for Halloween and go out for an early evening of trick or treating on the town- though of course only Joe-joe would be the one getting any candy, as Joey and Rain had agreed that although they would dress up, they would never want to take the candy originally intended for the kids. As the three waved goodbye and piled into the orange bug, they once again made sure to reassure the two more serious figures remaining at the house that they would be fine and not to worry- as they seemed to so often do, before setting off with an excited chatter about the days later events.

"I still say next year we should go as a themed thing, then we'd all match!" Rain said to the other two with a smile, already stocked for the next year's costumes to come as she looked over the two putting on their costumes while re-styling her wig, "I'm thinking like Pokemon or Alice in Wonderland!" Joey sighed as he slipped on the final piece of his costume, a wooden sword, before turning to the Rain, "..I still don't see how you became friends with Seto, Rain. It's just so odd..!" The woman smirked as she put on her wig cap happily, "Well, as I always say, he jus needed a li'l lovin' from the right source, bu' the reason I became friends with 'im was cause I treated 'im like a real person rather then 'the rich CEO Seto Kaiba', so I guess 'e respected me fer that, but 'e was also a big 'elp with college papers, tha's always been a plus!" Joey laughed and patted her back, "You just can't help yourself, can you?" Rain smiled as she put on her wig and adjusted it, "Nope! Free 'elp is free 'elp!" Before she walked out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, Joe-joe jumping up happily and pointing at Rain in astonishment, "Rain-y, you look like a boy!"

The woman smiled before taking up the little dragon girl into her arms, "Well, that's what I was trying to accomplish, so thank you for the compliment!" She then looked over Joe-joe as she wiggled around in her own little costume, "..And might I say you look great in your costume as well, you pull off the perfect dragon!" Joey then came over and stated, "Should we eat dinner before we head out?" Rain thought about it before nodding, "Ya, That'd be a good idea.. What should we have..?" Joey then walked into the kitchen and checked the cupboards. "Well, for one, you really need to stop eating ramen.. But I'll make us some fish and witches veggies if you and Joe-joe want to help." Rain grinned and held Joe-joe high in the air, "Of course we'll help! A dinner made by you would be great!" She then hauled herself and the grinning little girl into the kitchen and they all made and ate in a rather loud, exuberant way.. While to everyone's better judgment, Joey and Rain got Joe-joe out of her costume first.

" Soo.. What area should we start with on our adventure?" Joey said as he re-dressed his ivory haired child. Rain watched the blonde before laughing, " I feel that since we're walking we should probably start out farther while it's still light out, then work our way back in! Sound like a plan?" Joey thought about it before nodding, " Good, you seem to have everything under control..! Thanks again for doing this whole thing with us." Rain grinned for the millionth time that day at him- not about to let him feel guilty for something she had _offered_earlier on in his and Seto's relationship, "You kidding me? I've been looking forward to this longer then Joe-joe has!"

As the three set off up the street, chatting animatedly about a little bit of everything, Joey suddenly had an epiphany, "..So if we can force Seth to come with us next year, what can we dress him up as..?" Joe-joe was the first to pipe up, "As Red Eyes! Then he can match me!" Rain then gave her two cents on the matter, "But you might want to dress up as something else next year Joe-joe? Also, I think he'd be a brilliant Detective Conan, but he'll probably want to decide on one for himself if you convince him to ever come trick or treating with us..! Oh speaking of which, I have that series that I want to lend him! If he doesn't like it, just send it back, I have multitudes of manga he can borrow!" They all smiled while thinking about Seth and Seto in various costumes, finally deciding that they were far enough out and choosing their first house of the evening.

Joey, being forced on by Rain, walked up to the front door with Joe-joe as she got her candy and _then some _for her cute mannerisms. Rain laughed as they came back with a stash of goodies "… You, my little friend, are going to break many hearts in your future..!" Joe-joe just looked confused as they began to move from house to house, Joey and Rain finally deciding to switch off the 'walk up to the house' duty [and both going when neither won their games of rock, paper, scissors at each house]. All in all by the time they had gotten back to Rain's house, they were all tired, had FIVE bags full of candy, and were covered in dirt and leaves.. An event in which Rain and Joey had chased Joe-joe through the park, into a small thicket of trees, and then proceeded to try and get her down out of said trees after wondering how she had climbed them to begin with.

Once they were all showered and dressed back into normal clothes for the evening, they had a good laugh and re-counted the evenings events with an excited cheer for the upcoming year ahead, Rain only stopping when she glimpsed the bags of candy off to one side, "You know, Seto is NEVER going to let you bring all that home… Should we leave it here and whenever Joe-joe comes to visit she can have some..?" Joey nodded as he picked up the now sound asleep Joe-joe and put her under puffy covers in the spare bedroom, turning on the nightlight Rain had found just for the occasion. After ensuring she was securely on the bed and unlikely to wake up, he walked back out to the woman and sat back down, "Sounds like a plan to me! We don't want Seto to kick a puppy or something of that sort over candy- so it's for the best to keep the sugary sweets here.." Joey then pulled out a Sugar Daddy from the bag and began nibbling on it happily, "That'll get us _both_to want to visit more often!" Rain laughed happily, but quietly "Well, I c'n always use a lil company ev'ry once in awhile! S' show up if ya ever need anything! You jus gotta make sure I'm home!"

Joey smiled happily as he chewed on the treat in his mouth, before looking back at the candy with a glint in his eyes, "..I think you and me can probably finish all of this fairly fast, but let's work on that some other time..!" Rain gave him a skeptical look, "Says the one with a Sugar Daddy hangin outta his mouth!" They both then burst into laughter before quieting back down, the woman then giving him an analyzing look, "So.. How're ya doin wid Seto..? He's behavin right? Cause I c'n give 'im the smack down if he's being a jerk-face..!" Joey smiled happily, "Nah, everything's going well..! I'm so happy right now, it's just so unbelievable for me." , "Good good! I'm jus' glad the two a you are gettin along, Seto c'n be a stubborn guy!" Joey chuckled lightly, "You're telling me! But he's still too lovable to get rid of." Rain looked skeptical, "I s'pose so loverboy, but like I always say, if ya ever need anything- I'm right here, got that?" Joey nodded before yawning, the woman getting up with her grin still in place before stating, "Alright, it's time for bed! You better get in there and sleep well!" She pointed to her room, confusing Joey, "What'reyou talking about..? I thought I was taking the couch?" Rain shook her head of short bronze hair comically, "Nope! You c'n take the couch nex' time! Go get some sleep!"

It was after much arguing and a game of rock paper scissors that Joey finally gave up, and went into the bed room to sleep, never seeing the smug look on Rain's face that could have rivaled even Seto's at that moment, "…He'll never learn my secret for rock, paper, scissors.. Only Seto knows bout it, but that's all well an' good since he'd never bother with it!" She then went and checked on Joe-joe one more time, seeing the child sound asleep, before putting away all of the candy and turning in herself.

The next morning, the first to awaken was Joe-joe, who began by journeying from her warm bed to wake up her sleepy god momma Rainy and ask what was for breakfast- as well as what they were going to do before they went back home to her Pappy and brother. Rain, being the type who was instantly alert/awake at hearing certain noises, looked over the back of the couch as the bedroom door opened with a curious look on her face. "What's up honey..?" Joe-joe waked over sleepily to her side rubbing an eye, a soft mumble of, "What're we having for breakfast..?" escaping her lips. The woman tapped her chin a couple of times before replying, "Hhhmm.. Do you like eggs and bacon?" The little ivory haired child's eyes lit up before nodding enthusiastically, "Ok then! Now what I want you to do is open your daddy's door just a bit, and stay really quiet~ We're going to try and lure him out with the smell of food. Do you think we can..?" The little girl grinned wider and nodded happily, running over and ever so silently opening the door to the bedroom before rushing back over.

Rain then lifted her onto a stool a little ways away from the stove and laid out a ton of paper and colored pencils on the small 'island' table in the center of the kitchen, "Now, since I'm going to be working with oil, I want you to stay back a little bit so you don't get burned, ok? Rainy here even gets burned when she's not careful, so if you start getting bored I put out 'idea potential' for you on the table. Sound like a deal?" Joe-joe looked confused, ".. 'Idea potential'..?" Rain smiled and mussed up her hair a bit before picking up a piece of paper and presenting it to the child, "Yep! A blank piece of paper can hold all of the world in it, by placing your ideas onto even just one sheet, you're creating a whole world underneath your fingertips! Pictures, stories.. Anything really! Everything that has ever been made is important in some way to someone! All you need is an idea to lead you to it..!" The little girl's eyes glittered before she took up the papers and began drawing furiously on them, leaving Rain to whistle happily and make breakfast swiftly. It was only when a sleepy Joey wondered into the kitchen asking what smelled so good did both of the girl's laugh and high five each other in triumph at predicting the outcome of the morning.

After breakfast, everything was a hectic mess as the three began to re-pack all of the two Kiaba's 'sleepover stuff', Rain finding she could do little to actually help beyond searching the house for any of their extra knickknacks they may have forgotten about (most of which were Joe-joe's). It was once this was out of the way that the woman gave Joey one of the four bags of candy, "Once this one runs out, you can come get the next one- but you and Seto will need to figure out how to proportion that to Joe-joe and Seth! Also, I'm going to bring a couple of the manga I was talking about, but I have to go dig them up, so give me a minute!"

After the search and rescue of Joe-joe's stuffed dragon plushy was out of the way, the three loaded everything up into Rain's VW and away they went to the Kaiba mansion, the woman laughing and shaking her head as they pulled up the driveway, the other two looked at her in confusion, "..Oh! Sorry, I just remembered the joke I always had about Seto being an undercover superhero and how his mansion was the 'Kaiba Cave'.. It comes to mind every time I see the place." Joey laughed while Joe-joe smiled happily, "Rainy, Pappy _is_ a superhero though!" Rain looked over the child in amusement, "I always knew it! Don't worry, you can trust me with his secret, I've always been good at keeping them!" The two shook hands and looked at Joey, who simply continued to laugh as they exited the car in a flurry of limps and backpacks.

Soon after they had exited the vehicle, the huge front door opened to reveal two very relaxed (and maybe even relieved) males, Seto was the first to speak as they came out to help with their things. "So how was trick or treating? Anything exciting happen..?" Rain was the first to reply with a happy grin, "Your little girl here is quite the charmer Seto..!" The taller brunette raised a curious eyebrow and turned to his lover to elaborate, Joey mimicked the woman's grin before lifting the bag of candy into Seto's hands, "There are three more of those that we left over at Rain's house. Somehow, Joe-joe was just so cute that everyone thought she deserved waaayy more candy..!" Seto seemed to pale at the enormous bag of candy in his arms before looking down at the little girl who was hugging her brother in excitement. "Seth! You have to come next year too! It was so much fun!" Seth smiled lightly and hugged back, "..We'll have to see Joe-joe, it does sound like you had fun though."

Rain then proceeded in pulling out a camera, "I have a ton of pictures in here, so I'll lend you my camera and you can take whatever pictures you want off of it, sound good?" Seto nodded and accepted the camera, inviting her inside as they all hustled in doors to put things away, he then turned to the brunette woman as the other two members of his family went and put their bags into their rooms and re-settle in. "..So how did it go?" Rain smiled happily and gave him a thumbs up, "Great! No one messed with us and Joe-joe and Joey both had a blast! I think Joey may be wanting that candy faster than Joe-joe though, so you may have to watch him~!" Seto nodded before continuing, "How were the sleeping arrangements? I know you and Joey must have argued over who was taking the bed.." Rain smirked triumphantly once more, "..We played rock paper scissors, so I obviously was the one who slept on the couch!"

Setosmiled and shook his head, "..He didn't realize you're a master at delaying your reaction time, did he? The only reason you ever win that annoying game is when you watch the other's hand and delay your movement just long enough to make the winning move. It's why you love using it to help decide on things." Rain frowned and crossed her arms, dropping her proper speech with a puff of frustration "Wrong 'gain Kaiba! I like tha' game ta decide on things cause it's the righ' way a leavin it up ta chance! I only cheat when someone's bein stubborn and won' accept my hospitality! It doesn make 'em feel as bad!" Kaiba just smirked and waved the conversation off as the others walked back down stairs, Rain walking up to Seth with a smile and putting a hand on his shoulder, looking him in the eyes, "So how was your little snippet of peace and quiet kiddo?" Seth smiled at her before replying, "It was fine, thank you for letting me off the hook." The woman laughed and resisted the urge to ruffle his hair again, "Great! Now you have to make sure to eat some of that candy to though! We all put our sweat and good looks into getting that, didn't we Joe-joe?" The little girl cheered and ran over to her father with her drawings she had made earlier that morning, "Look Pappy! I made some 'idea potential's!" Seto rose an eyebrow at the girl before looking up at Rain, who smiled happily and replied, "Ya Seto, that girl there has the potential to create the world..!" She then looked down at Seth, "Same to you, only _you_can form your own future, the world is a blank page to you, so write whatever you want to on it, just ask all of us whenever you need more pencils and erasers ok?" Understanding the metaphor, the boy nodded, liking the woman's hidden message, "I'll do that. Thank you Rain." said woman, upon hearing the boy's confirmation, grinned brightly "No problem! Oh, and here! I brought you a new manga to try out, not to get too side tracked or anything!"

Seth looked down at the manga placed into his awaiting hands curiously, already more than interested in seeing what story plot could be held within. It was at this time that Joey stepped in with a laugh at Seth's curious expression, "All of that aside for the moment, is there anything we need to do today?" Rain grinned and was about to respond before she received a text message. Upon reading it, the woman laughed and responded to it quickly, "Well, I just got a message that makes it so I have to go and save a substitute teacher from some hardships she's having! So I'll have to head out!" She then walked over to Joe-joe in Seto's arms and whispered, "You see, the reason I keep Seto's secret identity a secret is cause I have one as well~ We used to work together a lot in college to save the needy.. Can you keep my secret too..?" The ivory haired girl's eyes widened and she nodded vigorously, making Rain laugh, "Good! Ok everyone, I'm taking off! Can I get some hugs?"

As everyone gathered round, the woman embraced them warmly, causing a slightly awkward hug for our poor CEO who was reluctantly in her line of fire with everyone else. It was once she swept out of the house with a ton of goodbyes and promises of frequent visits that Seto turned to his daughter curiously, "…Secret identities? What was she talking about Joe-joe..?" The little girl's eyes widened a fraction before shaking her head back and forth, "It's a secret Pappy! I can't tell!" Joey just smirked lightly as they all headed towards the back garden, wondering what the lazy day ahead of them might bring.

* * *

**Lily272:**

I Hope you all loved this as much as I did and now understand what I meant when I said this sequel would have a little twist. I will write some chapters as well (once I have time to do so) and there will be a few more guest authors for this. If anyone has another idea and wants to tribute something PM me please! But you'll need to get yourself into the story because the other guest authors are too.

And thanks to HorsesRain for her work! I really enjoyed reading this and I'm honored that I can post it on my profile as a part of this drabble collection. Which so far is just one chapter since I'm short on time and the others aren't finished with their chapters yet.

I hope you liked this and by the way with a bit of luck I get the net chapter for Joey Wheeler, KC Head of Security ready tonight if not tomorrow (but it will be really short) and if you like that one and Seth and Joe-Joe as well as Jaden or at least some of the kids...have a look at my newest poll please. And by the way, I liked my London Holiday and got most of my stuff over to Germany during my move...but I was wearing like 3 pants a skirt a dress 4 bras 4 tank tops 2 t-shirts, a jumper 2 fleece a vest a coat and a poncho! OH MY RA I SWEAR I WAS BURNING :P and have you ever tried moving around while wearing too many pants? I hope I NEVER have to do that!

And now **Please Review!**


	9. Jaden's new mummy part one

**Jaden's new mummy part one**

Seth was in his office next to Seto's. He had the papers that he was to look through lying in front of him and stared at them. His eyes didn't move though. He was too lost in his thoughts about his best friend. He liked him a lot. His happy carefree nature that was so much like his dad's and his sister's and he was the first friend Seth had in his entire life. Jaden had told him that it was sort of the same for him. He'd never been in the same place for long since he had been in four foster homes already. Usually everything was fine at the start but either they got annoyed with Jaden's wild nature or they had some change in their family that made it to bothersome for them to keep a foster child around.

And it was again the case that Jaden would have to move. Since there wasn't a foster family for him at the moment, he would be placed in the same orphanage where Seth and Joe-Joe had been, until they found a family for him again. But that meant that Jaden would leave the school at least for now and Seth was very upset about that. But he didn't know what to do about it. He could ask his two fathers to adopt him but they weren't married for a year yet and already had two kids to take care of and even thought Seth wasn't a lot of work he knew that his sister could be twice as troublesome. She was cute though and loveable but a handful anyway. The two males didn't have much time to themselves and no matter how hard Seth tried to keep Joe-Joe away from them at night, to give them some privacy, it was nearly impossible to talk her out of a morning cuddle with them. Seth already owed them a home for himself and his sister and didn't want to burden them with taking in another child that was rather energetic, just to make him happy.

Seth knew that he could ask Yami and Yugi but they still traveled a lot with Yugi's grandfather to and from Egypt and Seth wasn't sure if they would take the kid in. He knew that they loved Joe-Joe enough to do that for them, Yami had hinted to him once that if their chosen parents wouldn't work out they could always come to them, but Seth wasn't sure if the same could be applied to Jaden.

He could always talk to Bakura and Ryou but he really would pity the boy if he had the oh so fluffy unka Kura for a father. Poor Jaden's mental well-being would be greatly at risk if he grew up around that strange and utterly crazy thief king. The fact that he had gotten cured from adopting Joe-Joe after one day of babysitting (and not even surviving a whole day) didn't exactly speak for the thief king as a father either.

Then there would be Duke and Tristan but they were only thinking about making out with each other and when visiting they only talked to dad and ignored the two kids nearly completely. They were nice enough but not very good with kids and didn't seem to know how to deal with them. Joe-Joe was especially tricky for them. Seth could talk to them on a more grown up level but Joe-Joe kept saying things that made them look at each other before looking with begging eyes at Joey.

Those were the only couples that Seth knew at the moment and none of them were really promising. Yami and Yugi where probably his best bet, but would they really stop their traveling for a child they didn't really know yet? They'd seen Jaden on Seth's last birthday but that was it.

It was already dark by the time his paps walked into his office. "Are you ready to go home?" He asked the boy and noticed all the unfinished work on his desk. It wasn't like him at all. Usually he was bored with the little amount his father wanted to trouble him with. "Are you okay, Seth?"

"I'm fine." Seth said. "I was just somewhere else with my thoughts. I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Seto said and gave the boy a proud smile "You're always doing a great job and everyone can have a bad day. But if you want to talk about what's on your mind, talk to me or Joey okay? We're here for you, okay?" Seto hoped Seth would talk to one of them about whatever troubled him. He knew that the boy usually tried to burden his fathers as little as possible and still tried to be more of a father to Joe-Joe than a brother, just to help them.

"Sure." Seth said but wasn't sure how to talk to them about this matter. He didn't want to make them feel like they had to adopt Jaden. And Seth wasn't sure if he wanted Jaden for a brother. Not because he didn't like him enough or anything like that. It's just that Jaden was his only friend and that would be lost if he was another sibling. It's probably silly to think that way but it still wouldn't be the same to Seth anymore and he didn't want to lose the feeling of having a friend.

Seth was very quiet on their way back to the mansion and he wished that a single parent could adopt. He knew someone who would adopt his friend on the spot if she could. And she would probably be the best mother in history of mankind, not better than his fathers of course, but still the best mum. Joe-Joe loved her as much as their godmothers. Those three women were the best for her and Seth was happy that she had the crazy science teacher on top of her godmother for talks between women. Especially since Miss Jojo was always around and had proven well capable of explaining tricky questions like "Why can't two guys have a baby?" to his sister.

"Paps." Seth said after a while. "Dad is like the sun sometimes, isn't he?"

Seth saw his father's confused look and Seto sounded worried when he asked "Are you so strange because there is something wrong with Joey?"

"No." Seth said "It's not because of him. Just someone a bit like him. Dad is always so happy and smiles, even when something is really sad, he still nearly always finds something good in it and I always have the feeling that everything is somehow warmer with him around."

Seth saw his father smile like only his dad could make him smile. Happy and content. "You're right. But I still don't see what's bothering you."

"It's about Jaden." Seth said quietly. "He might have to leave our school. I might loose him as a friend, and I don't know how to prevent that."

"Why?" Seto asked "Are his parents moving?"

"No." Seth answered sounding much calmer than he felt. "His foster mother is pregnant. They don't want him around when the kid is born. They said that they'd keep him for one more week and if there isn't another foster family for him by then, then he'll have to go to an orphanage and even if there is another family, who knows where. He's the only friend I ever had and I don't want to lose him as a friend. But there isn't much I can do, is there?"

"We could ask Yami and Yugi." Seto suggested just like Seth had thought about. Seto knew that even though his son appeared to think about it logically and didn't look too sad, he must be greatly troubled by it to get distracted from his work. Seto knew how troubled he needs to be to be distracted from anything and Seth was much like him in that matter. Even shortly before Joey had planned to leave he still worked perfectly, meaning that the possibility of losing Jaden as a friend must be even worse to him.

"I know." Seth said in a dry and calculated voice. "I thought about that possibility and it might be possible."

"But you're not satisfied with that, are you?" Seto said noticing that Seth was still upset. He had thought about it but obviously not given it too much thought, considering that he hadn't tried to talk to Yami or Yugi about it. The fact that Seth had said that he hadn't found a solution yet, even though he had thought about that option, was prove that he never truly considered it.

The child wasn't used to being read that easily but then again, he hadn't often been this upset. He hadn't been this sad since his parents had died. And since he lived with his dad and knew Jaden, it was more frequent that someone noticed his feelings. They must be getting more visible now that he is around two personal suns. His dad, who was warm and loving and caring and the only person who could truly turn the huge and reasonably empty mansion into a warm and loving home. Seth didn't understand why no one adopted the young boy that probably could do the same. He couldn't help but feel sorry for Jaden. He was so loving, caring and happy all the time and funny and Seth never had wanted someone around him as much as Jaden, apart from his family of course. After all, Jaden was the only one who, apart from Joe-Joe and his dad, could distract him from a book and pull him back into the real world and not let it look boring and unchallenging in comparison.

"Do you have someone else in mind?" Seto asked after watching his son, who seemed to be too deep in his thoughts to notice the time passing by.

Seth looked at his father for a moment and said: "Yes but that isn't possible. Ms. Shamer can't adopt him, since she isn't married."

"Would she want to adopt him?" Seto asked him.

"Of course. Everyone in class got that he's her favorite, even though she tries her very best to hide it and is very fair to everyone nevertheless. And she likes us all, so no one really minds that she prefers him a little. But like I said, she can't adopt him. Even you couldn't adopt us without marrying dad. And if someone rich and powerful like you couldn't do it, she doesn't stand a chance." Seth summed up, sounding nonchalantly and logical even though he didn't feel that way. He was upset and even a bit angry that single parents couldn't adopt in this state. Especially since he didn't understand the reasoning for such a rule.

"Who said I couldn't pull some strings?" Seto asked. "I had you adopted within a few days. I can do anything."

"I never said you couldn't pull some strings, I said you couldn't pull those particular strings. Or rather, you said so. You said yourself once that you couldn't adopt us without dad agreeing to marry you." Seth said and looked surprised. That was why his dad had married his paps back in the days where both of them had believed their love for the other to be one- sided only.

"I lied." Seto said much to Seth's surprise. "His longing to help you was the first, and at the time I thought only chance I might ever get to talk him into marrying me and staying with me for a few days. I had hoped that he might fall for me, even though I didn't really believe he could. But I wanted to at least know what it would feel like to have him around."

"You tricked him?" Seth asked and looked at his father with a blank expression. He probably should be shocked but he honestly wasn't. "I probably should have assumed it." He said after a only a split second of thoughts in which he thought about all the advantages of his actions from Seto's point of view at that time. I was wondering why you couldn't get us on your own, I thought already that if anyone could do that, it might be you."

"I'll talk to your teacher," Seto said. "And I´ll do it tomorrow. I'll make an appointment with child services and get her to be at least his foster mother for starters and the rest might take a few weeks but I'll get her the permission to adopt. That is, if she really wants that. I can hardly force her."

Seth looked up at Seto, "Thanks paps, I really appreciate your efforts." He smiled a little and remembered something Jaden had said a few times when Seth had woken him just in time when he fell asleep in class. "You're the best," Seth added after the thought of a very happy Jaden, who just got around a lot of trouble.

"Yeah. After Joey." Seto said. "I know that you love him the most and I understand it. He really is like a warm sun, like Joe-Joe too, isn't she? And not only for the warmth."

"Why else?" Seth asked curious.

"Because I fear that both of our lives will forever revolve around them. Like a gravitation that pulls us to them and forces us to fulfill their every wish." Seto said and hoped that this gravitation Seth seemed to have towards Jaden wasn't the same he had towards Joey.

Seth smiled at his father a little and thought about what he said: "I agree up to a point," Seth said. "I don't fear it is that way, I hope it is that way, because without them our life would be really dark, wouldn't you agree?"

"For me it was for years," Seto said melancholically. "For much longer than I liked it to be."

The limousine stopped in front of the mansion and the two got out of the car. It was unusually quiet. Joe-Joe wasn't screaming and running towards them and so they walked in quietly. Certain that she must be up to something or asleep to miss their return.

They walked through the huge mansion in silence and it took a little while until they found the other two occupants. The fire in the room the two were in was luckily lit and it was nice and warm. There was a memory spread out on the floor. By now it was absolutely messed up and Joey lay there in the middle all four stretched out from him and Joe-Joe with her head on his chest and one of her fingers in his nose. Seth heard Seto chuckle a bit and said: "What do you think, should we get them to bed or just let them sleep?"

"A bed is more comfortable." Seto answered.

"Only as long as they manage to stay in it." Seth said with a little smile. The two looked too adorable and even though Seth felt more like the parent in such moments than a son, he still knew that if he needed someone Joey was there and he might look like a kid at times, but Seth could always count on him as a dad when he really needed him. "But there is something more important than their sleeping arrangements…will Joey be mad at you if he finds out that you help Jojo to adopt Jaden on her own?"

"He'll probably be pissed." Seto said with a smile, remembering his wild nature and how often they had fought back in high school. "But he'll forgive me quickly. He's not the kind to hold a grudge."

Seto ducked and picked up Joe-Joe. "Open the doors please and get the covers down, so I can put her down onto her bed. I'll wake Joey up when you're in bed and talk to him about it, so he's warned and won't get mad when Joe-Joe's around."

"You'll make him forgive you, won't you?" Seth asked a little worried. He didn't want to affect his father's relationship. It had been too hard to get them together to risk it.

"Trust me, Seth. I'll make him forgive me." Seth said. "I'll simply give him some acceptable ideas to punish me and we'll be good."

"It won't be too bad, will it?" Seth asked and Seto was happy that for once he seemed as innocent as any child his age should be.

"I'll survive for sure." Seto said with a grin and couldn't wait for his punishment! He would clearly enjoy this night with his husband.

* * *

Authors note: Thanks to lilgurlanima, kitty tokyo uzumaki, dancing elf, yuriama sohma and Kitsune Demon Girl for the reviews.

Also a special thanks to yuriama sohma who made a really nice picture of Joe-Joe and inspired another chapter that I will write eventually.


	10. Jaden's new mummy part two

**Jaden's new mommy part two**

Seto was sitting in his office. It was just the morning after his little chat with Seth and Seto was sure that his son was still worried about his best friend. Seth was too much like him and had a hard time making good friends. To have found Jaden and actually getting along with him was like having found the most valuable treasure. He just hoped that Seth wouldn't one day start having the same feelings for the little kid as he had for his wild little puppy.

Seto feared that Jaden would always just see a friend in Seth and that it might hurt his son but he would worry about that when it was time, if it ever happens in the first place.

Seto looked at the time and left the office to drive to the school. He had to talk to a certain teacher and rather have that conversation in person than on a phone. First because there might be a lot of personal stuff to be discussed and second it might be helpful to have a word with Jaden as well. Before he decided anything behind his back. Seto knew first hand how hard it was when a child had lost his parents.

He had never been in a foster home, because no one would take him and Mokuba, so he wasn't sent from one home to the other either, but he met boys and girls in the orphanage that came back from one of their many foster homes. Either being too troublesome for the foster parents or because the family was having some change in their private life as it was called. Some of those children started to despise a possible family before ever meeting them.

On Halloween Jaden hadn't looked like he wasn't able of giving someone a chance anymore. He had still been hopeful for his foster parents to show up, even after all the disappointments he had been through. But unfortunately neither one had and no matter how much Jaden had tried to smile and look happy and enjoy the Halloween fair, Seto had seen him looking around the gym after a hopeful glace at the entrance. He had hoped till the end that they would come and let him show them around the gym and to the body of Frankenstein that the boys had talked about most of the day.

Joey had told him about it already when he had picked him up from work. He had driven the kids to the school, and picked up Jaden on the way, to meet the other four there and then left the kids with their godfathers to pick up Seto, who had to work a bit too long to make it on time and Joey thought that he could use that time to discuss some things with Seto as he called it in front of the children. But they had joined the kids like promised in the school gym, right after the trick and treating was over. Jaden's parents where supposed to be there too but they hadn't kept their promise, like Seto and Joey had.

Seto reached the school and walked inside to the secretary, informing her that he needed to talk to Miss Shamer, the science teacher of his son Seth.

Miss Shamer was called out and stood in front of him a little while later. Seto had made sure that the classes had just ended for the morning and that he wasn't interfering with any lessons.

"Nice to see you again." Seto greeted her friendly with a handshake "I would like to talk to you in private for a moment, if you have some time to spare?"

"Oh, it's good to see you too, Mr. Kaiba." She answered with a smile. Some teachers were intimidated by the rich father of two of the students, who had contributed a huge amount of money to their school library, while his also rich husband had given enough money to the school to have the whole playground re-done, which was just about in time. The old rusty climbing thing was about to break down and couldn't be called anything other than a thing. It had been there when Jojo Shamer was a child herself and probably built at the time of her grandparents the way it had looked.

But unlike most teachers Jojo liked the couple and the kids very much and didn't find this man intimidating at all. "I always have time for you Mr. Kaiba. But I have to say that I'm surprised to see you. But why don't you follow me to my office, then you can tell me why you came to see me personally." She led him towards her office and hoped that her assistants would cope with everything while she was gone. She wasn't too worried, they had learned a lot, but the month was nearly over and Jojo still had to make sure that the monkey unkas of Seth and Joe-Joe could stay as her assistants. Maybe she could drop the subject at the right time and Seto Kaiba might make another little contribution. It wasn't like it would hurt him to lose a little money and it would also be to the benefit of his kids. And she could try to find out what secrets they had. It was just too strange the way they looked alike. Especially the talk about an alter ego or a former spirit, like it was said with those other two look alike uncles of the siblings. The godfathers, who she had met on the Halloween fair.

Once they were in her office Jojo offered Seto one of the chairs across from her desk and sat down on her own. "Now Mr. Kaiba, what can I do for you?"

"I came here today because my son Seth is greatly troubled with a situation regarding his closest friend Jaden." Seto started to say. "And I hope to find a solution that will be at least acceptable for everyone involved and ensures that Jaden can stay in my son´s class."

Jojo was happy and hoped that the couple had decided to adopt Jaden as well, or at least become his foster parents until he would find a permanent home. Jojo was sure that those two wouldn't send him away on a wimp like some people did. It was beyond her why some people were allowed to have a foster child, considering how many children were just moved from one family to the next, never finding any stability in their life. A child wasn't a toy that you could buy from a garage sale and sell again in the next.

"And how can I help you with that?" She asked. There was no reason to talk to her if they wanted to take the boy in. They would have to go to social services and Jojo was certain that Seto Kaiba knew that as well as she did.

"Because Seth suggested the perfect parent for him and I need to find out if that person is up to the task before I use my money and power to make an adoption possible." Seto said.

Jojo watched him and wasn't sure if she should be happy or sad. She was glad for Jaden that he might find a set of parents for himself and just hoped it wouldn't be that crazy evil Bakura. She didn't even want to imagine what he might do with the mind of a poor innocent child like Jaden. She even worried that Joe-Joe was allowed to be around him, considering what she had heard him say. But she was also sad because she wished to be able to adopt Jaden herself but hadn't found the right father yet. If Jaden got adopted, adopting him herself would be impossible forever. But Jaden's well- being came first and it wasn't fair to let the child wait because of her. And so she would have to help whatever plan Mr. Kaiba had, no matter how much it would sadden her. As long as she could see Jaden smile, she would be sort of happy too.

"And who are those parents and how can I help with that?" She asked, not showing her sadness.

"I said a parent." Seto said, "Not parents, because as far as I know you would be a single mother, wouldn't you?"

Seto had to smile at the shocked but also happy and slightly hopeful face the teacher got within a second. It was clear that she wanted to be Jaden's mother, Seth had been right with that like always. But the happiness disappeared again just before she said: "But that isn't possible. Even you couldn't adopt Seth and Joe-Joe without marrying Joey."

"So I guess one of the children told you how I came to my lovely husband?" Seto said with a grin. "I have to say that I did something rather treacherous. I probably could have used my power and wealth to adopt them. Actually I have no doubt that I could have done it. But I refused to try because it was the perfect excuse to force Joey to live with me for a while."

Jojo stared at him in shock. She hadn't thought he would go that far but at least it had worked out and who knows how this story would have ended if Seto had adopted the siblings on his own, letting Joey run free and live in his own place and move away like he had originally planned. "I see." She said, "And now you're here to see if I would want you to use said wealth and power to help me adopt Jaden on my own. Correct?"

"Correct." Seto said. "And the way you reacted I assume that you'd very much like the thought of becoming Jaden's mother."

"Yes, I would actually." Jojo said smiling. "I had hoped for a while that I would find a guy that would adopt him with me but so far without any success. I actually dumped a guy, because he refused to adopt a child when I asked him after dating him for a while. He was completely opposed adoptions, saying those kids were all rotten and I couldn't live with a guy that would dare to even think something foolish like that. I mean Seth and Joe-Joe were adopted and they're two of the sweetest kids I ever had the fortune to teach."

Jojo Shamer saw a proud smile spreading on the man's face. "They really are something, aren't they?" He said, sounding as proud as he looked. "But Seth is a lot like me, even though he is only adopted and it isn't easy for him to make friends. He isn't like other children. Which is why I really want to make it possible for him to stay in touch with Jaden as easily as possible. He is very fond of the young boy and I believe that Jaden's lively nature is definitely a big advantage to Seth."

" I agree that Jaden's lively nature is a great benefit to Seth." Jojo said, "But Seth is a great benefit to Jaden too. Seth has a hand to make Jaden listen to classes and explain some parts that Jaden hadn't understood before. Jaden enjoys school much more when Seth is in the same class as he is and hates the few classes where they aren't together."

Jojo was surprised to see a bit of a troubled look on the man's face. "Either way," he said, "I assume then that you won't be opposed to accompanying me and some of my lawyers to social services and see what we can do?"

"Of course, I can't wait to do that." Jojo said excited. She had wanted to become Jaden's mother ever since she saw the young boy and would do almost anything to make it happen.

"I suggest that we have a little talk with Jaden first then, just to let him know about our plans." Seto said, "I know a little about children that are without a parent of their own and believe that planning behind his back might be upsetting to the boy."

"Of course, I´ll get him here." Jojo said and walked out of her office to find the little boy.

To her big surprise he was climbing around on the playground and had a book in his hand when she found him. For a second she was nearly shocked since Jaden usually eyed books like he believed them to be a creation of the devil. Made just to torture poor school kids and stop them from playing. But then she noticed that the book clearly belonged to Seth, who stood below and looked up at Jaden without a book in his own hand, which was just as unusual as it was for Jaden to have one.

"Come on Seth." Jaden said teasingly. "If you want that book you'll have to climb up and get it."

"I can always ask dad to get me a new copy." Seth said.

"But this one is signed." Jaden said, "It must be special. Oh come on, just climb up and play with me, you little spoil sport."

"I can get the new one signed too." Seth said. "Dad and I know Noir personally and I'm sure she'll send me a new one if dad or I ask her."

"I thought your dad is Blue…" Jaden started to say.

"Oh fine, just forget it." Seth said and started to climb. He had told Jaden his biggest secret, without even asking for his dads consent. He trusted Jaden and wanted him to know his secret. Now he regretted it, since Jaden simply never thought about what he said before he opened his mouth.

To his luck, Jojo wasn't sure what this was about but it looked like Seth wasn't climbing up to get the book, he rather did it to stop Jaden from finishing what he started to say and she wandered what it was Jaden had been about to say.

"Jaden." She called. "Give Seth his book back and come with me to my office, please."

"It wasn't me, Miss Jojo. I swear." Jaden said.

"And what is it, that you weren't?" Jojo asked, wondering if it was already a reflex of his to respond like that or if he had done something that he needed to deny.

"Don't know." Jaden said. "But aren't you going to talk to me about something I might have done?"

"No, I have something else." Jojo said, "A big surprise but you'll have to come down to my office with me to find out what it is."

"I love surprises." Jaden said and jumped down from where he was with a smile. Nearly giving Jojo a heart attack due to the height he was jumping down from but he rolled off on the ground and stood right back up with a smile.

"May I have my book, please?" Seth asked politely, already standing next to Jaden. He had started to climb right back down when Jojo had called Jaden the first time around and didn't have a long way because he was hardly on it.

"Man, you're way too polite. But fine, here's your stupid book, but you'll play with me later and leave the book or I'll burn it, got it?" Jaden said and hugged the other. Seth gave a sigh but nodded right after.

"Okay." Jaden said and looked at his favorite teacher. "We can go."

"Finally." She said with a smile and led the way to her office.

Once they entered Jaden looked surprised at Mr. Kaiba and asked, "Miss Jojo, you mixed something up, I'm not his kid, you should have called Mr. super brain Seth."

"Hello Jaden," Mr. Kaiba said politely and ignored Jaden's rudeness towards his teacher.

"Yeah sure, hi." Jaden said before asking his teacher why she called him in when Seth's old man was there.

"I'm here to talk to you about a request of Seth." Seto said. "So she didn't mix anything up."

"His what?" Jaden asked, looking confused.

"Seth had asked me to help Miss Shamer to get to adopt you." Seto said and saw the boys´ face fall apart.

"NO!" Jaden screamed and started to cry. "You can't do that, anyone but her, please don't do that to me." Seto saw the teacher looking at the boy in shock while tears ran down Jaden's face.

"Why not?" Seto asked and looked at the child. Jojo wondered the same thing and was hurt by the strong reaction Jaden showed. She always thought he liked her and she liked him too. She thought he'd be happy to hear this news and not be opposed to it.

"I don't want her to be my Mum, she'll just get fed up with me too." Jaden said, still with tears running down his face. "She's the only grown up to ever care about me, please don't make her get fed up with me and send me away too." The boy pleaded.

Seto just watched as the teacher picked up the boy and chided, "Don't be silly Jaden. I would never get fed up with you. I love you way too much for that."

"Really?" The boy asked still a bit doubtful.

"Jaden?" Seto asked the child with a little smile. "Do you think that Joey and I would ever send Seth and Joe-Joe away?"

"No." He whispered. "But you can't get a baby. And she could get a baby if she finds a guy. And if she doesn't find one because of me she'll get annoyed too."

"You're silly." Jojo said, "I would never do that. You said yourself, I care about you and you're right with that. You're more special and important to me than any guy could ever be."

Jaden slowly calmed down and looked up at the teacher.

"This is different, Jaden." Seto said, "She won't be your foster mom, who took some child because it was convenient to her and she didn't have anything else to do without caring who that child is. A foster mother doesn't have a real responsibility, because child services are still officially in charge of any major decision. Miss Jojo wants you and not just some child and she wants to adopt you, which makes it permanent and not just while it suites her. She takes all the responsibilities, because she wants you and no one else. And on top of it, she knows you. She knows that you're not as smart as Seth and are constantly late for school from what I heard. She already knows you and still didn't get 'fed up' with you. She won't send you away ever."

Jaden looked at her and asked: "You really won't send me away?"

"I promise." Jojo said and hugged him. "I don't want to lose you. I will never let you go. Not even when you're all grown up and have a girlfriend. You'll have to talk her into moving in with you and your old and annoying mommy, because I won't let you go easily, got it? I might even buy some snakes and spiders and all the stuff that most girls hate just to keep them all away from my special little boy."

Jaden laughed and smiled. "That won't work for a girl like Joe-Joe though." before hugging her, "I love you. But can you adopt me? I thought you couldn't without a guy. Do you have one that won't want me to go?"

"That's why I'm here." Seto said praying that the part about 'a girl like Joe-Joe' wasn't spoken because he might like her. Firstly because Seto didn't want to think about any guys being with his precious little girl for at least another 10 years. And secondly because if Seth really would start liking Jaden like Seto liked Joey, then it would kill him if Jaden would prefer his little sister. But he pushed that thoughts to the back of his head and looked them up tight. This wasn't the time nor the place to think about it, especially since all three might become something more akin to siblings than anything else. And so Seto pretended like nothing was out of order when he said: "With a bit of money and power, and I happen to have plenty of both, everything is possible."

"I can't promise that it works." Jojo said, unwilling to let the boy get too disappointed if it didn't work out. "But no matter what, I'll always be there for you, I promise. And I'll never give up to get you."

Jaden nodded again silently. "And now go and play again. I just wanted you to know that we're working on it. I didn't want to do that behind your back." Seto said with a little smile.

"Thank you." Jaden said and left the room to run to Seth and thank him for his help. He really was the best friend he could hope for. While moving from home to home he had never had a friend for long and none who would do so much for him. Foster kids stick together but Jaden had never stayed in touch with anyone for long enough to have a real friend. He had never been able to do so since he always was moved from one place to the next. And other kids always had a bunch of friends when he came into their class as the new one. They usually didn't look at him twice.

On that afternoon Seto and Joey both went to social services with Jojo Shamer. Seto had talked to Joey about this matter but unfortunately Joey didn't even seem to think about why he hadn't done this to get Seth and Joe-Joe, meaning that Seto didn't even get the punishment he had hoped for, which didn't mean that they hadn't had a great night together anyway. Now the two of them had two main strategies to get an exception for this one case at least.

Jojo was glad to have them there and have their aid. They talked for hours to a few different people. Seto's lawyer talked over and over about the law that people had to be treated equally, no matter what religion or gender and that it could be considered a violation of that law if they were looking down on single parents. And that not giving a single permission to adopt could be seen as a statement that single parents weren't good parents. That alone already worried the people from child services because it could get him into great trouble if Seto dared to sue them for discrimination of single parents. And considering his top class lawyers he´d probably even win that law suit.

But Joey and Seto also said that if Miss Shamer adopts Jaden, their families could support each other. Seto and Joey both said that they would be more than willing to mind Jaden whenever her work would make it impossible for her to mind Jaden, which shouldn't be too often since she was working mostly during school hours and that she could help by being a female role model for their daughter Joe-Joe. And talk to her about things she might not like to discuss with a father. Jojo knew that Joe-Joe had other aunts that could do that but was glad that both man seemed to trust her with that as well and used this to help her now. Especially since this meant, as Joey and Seto also pointed out to child services, that they also would try to be some sort of male role model for Jaden.

The discussion took ages but in the end she was permitted to become Jaden's mother and Jojo was sure that it would soon be possible for all singles to adopt in this state. They seemed to have gotten a fright from Seto's threats of suing them for discrimination using the 20 lawyers that Seto Kaiba had brought along. Jojo only hoped that Jaden would be fine with it and could trust her to not send him away. But even if he couldn't trust her right from the start, Jojo was set on proving the boy that he could trust her. She would earn his trust no matter how.

Once it was all over, Seto and Joey drove home and on the way there Joey finally asked Seto: "By the way, why didn't you try to pull something like that to get Seth and Joe-Joe?"

"It was easier to talk you into marrying me." Seto said with a smile and added honestly, "And I liked that better. I wanted you too, not just the kids."

Joey smiled at him and said, "You're still a sneaky little bastard, aren't you?" Seto looked at him for a moment and was glad to see him smiling nevertheless.

"Are you mad?" Seto asked just to make sure that he was already forgiven.

"No." Joey said, "I'm happy. I wouldn't be here with you and my family if ya hadn't done that. And I wouldn't have married ya for any kid in the world if I hadn't loved ya."

"Really?" Seto asked. "I thought you would have done everything for those two rascals."

"Maybe." Joey said, "But I don't think I would have gone that far. I agreed because I loved you and wanted to be with you, at least for a little while. I mean I would have done a lot for the kids but I wouldn't have married a guy I don't like in the first place. It would only cause trouble then and that wouldn't have been good for the kids either."

"That means you used our innocent little kids to marry me?" Seto asked making his voice sound like he was outraged.

"Yeah." Joey said with a happy smile "Just like you did my smart and devious husband. And I bet ya just sound this outraged so ya can 'punish' me, right?"

Seto chuckled and said: "Seth is smarter than me."

"Why?" Joey asked upset, wondering why in the world Seto talked about their son when he hinted at sex.

"Because he hoped and didn't fear. And he's right. I hope too." Seto said remembering his chat with Seth about Joey and Joe-Joe being the centre of their world and that without them everything would be darker.

"I don't get it." Joey said upset.

"I know." Seto said with an evil smile. "That's because it's a secret between me and your son."

"You're mean." Joey said and looked away.  
"You think?" Seto asked in a whisper right into Joey's ear "Then how about you stop pouting and start punishing me for being mean."


	11. Business trip

**Business trip**

„Daddy, Daddy get up!" Joe-Joe screamed before she looked towards her older brother who was sitting quietly in front of their daddy's laptop, searching for the story his father had recently started to write. "Seth, daddy's dead, his eyes don't open."

Seth heard the panic in his sisters voice and looked up towards her. Her little hands pulling franticly on their fathers hair with enough force to slightly lift his head before dropping it again. It was easy to believe that the blond man had to be dead since it was unbelievable that anyone could sleep through such a treatment. Fortunately, Seth new his father well enough to not go with the obvious conclusion without double checking all facts. "Don't worry Joe-Joe. He's just sleeping very tightly." He answers after quickly noticing the rising and falling of Joey's chest with every breath he took.

"But he's gotta wake up." Joe-Joe wined.

"Why does he have to wake up this early anyway?" Seth asked moving his eyes back towards the laptop and wondered where the data for the book might be hidden. "Why don't you cuddle a little with daddy? You can have my stuffed dragon for the cuddle too."

"But we gotta make a party." Joe-Joe said cheerfully. "Pappy's coming home!"

"Seto's back?" Joey said and suddenly was sitting straight coursing the little girl that had been sitting on his stomach to be tipped over and land on the blanket that covered Joey's legs.

Seth was worried for his sister for a moment but the giggles that came from the young girl reassured him quickly.

"Good morning dad." Seth said calmly while Joey looked around sleepily to find his husband. "Joe-Joe is simply referring to the fact that he is returning today but as far as I know it will be a few hours until his flight lands but taking the average traffic situation for a late Sunday night into consideration, as well as his usual driving stile, he'll probably return home shortly after that."

"What a tease." Joey mumbled and dropped back onto the bed, his eyes closing again already.

"NO!" Joe-Joe screamed at Joey and immediately started to get back onto his stomach "You've gotta get up daddy. We've gotta make a party for Pappy."

Joey opened one eye and looked towards the alarm clock. "Joe-Joe…, do you know what time it is?"

"No." She said honestly before pointing towards the big window on the other side of the bed, "But the sun's getting up too."

Joey turned his head and had to admit that the sky was starting to get a little lighter, but it was still a far cry from sunrise and since it was the middle of summer, the sun was always MUCH higher when he would crawl out of bed. "Joe-Joe," He mumbled sleepily while turning to look at her, "It's just half past five in the morning, please give me at least one more hour of sleep or maybe two."

"But Papa's party?" Joe-Joe asked devastated. "We gotta call everyone."

"Do you want to have a party?" Joey asked quietly fighting to keep his eyes open.

"Yes, party, party, party!" Joe-Joe cheered.

"What kind of party?" Joey asked hopping that a bit of an example would help her realise, and most of all accept, that a party was probably the last thing Seto would want after being gone on a business trip for over a month.

"A party with lots of people and loud music and cake, pink cake, and makeovers, I wanna do makeovers for pappy!" Joe-Joe started to say without needing to think about all the things she wanted, "Unka kura has to play pony and monkey unka's pirat…"

She was about to continue her nearly endless list of requests when Joey interrupted her by asking, "And Seth what kind of party do you want?"

Seth looked up and thought about it for a split second. He was sure that his dad knew that his pap's wasn't found of large gatherings, especially when unka Kura was involved, and quickly assumed the reasoning's behind his questions, which is why he answered honestly, "I would like a nice and quiet dinner with Pap's and find out more about his trip."

"Now Joe-Joe, who do you think is more like Pappy? Seth or you?" Joey asked, happy that Seth obviously had understood why he asked instead of humouring his sister with more ideas for a proper party like a clown.

"Seth," Joe-Joe answered and then asked in an after thought, "Why?"

"If Seth is like Pappy, then Pappy would probably like a nice dinner with just us and talk before maybe cuddle in bed with us all." Joey explained. "I'm sure he wants to know everything you and Seth did during the last few weeks without having to share you with Unka Kura."

"No he doesn't." Joe-Joe said with certainty. "He already knows. He phoned you every evening. You talked during Spongebob and fairy good parents and I couldn't hear the Simpson's nor…."

"I get it, I get it, we talked on the phone, but that isn't the same then seeing you Joe-Joe, he couldn't cuddle you for so long." Joey insisted. "He missed us all, that's why he called all the time and he wants to spend time with us, not just on the phone."

"That's why we make a party." Joe-Joe said, "He missed us, and Unka Kura and…"

"But he's going to have a really long, long day ahead of him and he will need some peace." Joey tried to reason with the stubborn little girl that was used to get her way using her adorable puppy eyes.

"But I wanna party." Joe-Joe wined not bothering with her puppy eyes since she had learned by now that Joey would return the favour and win with his own puppy eyes anyway.

Joey gave a sigh and then offered "How about we have a nice family dinner tonight and you help me cook for pappy today, and next weekend we have a great party with games, to celebrate that we have our pappy back."

"Okay." Joe-Joe said, and started to jump up and down on Joey's chest coursing the blond to hold on to her and move her next to himself quickly where she continued to jump on the bed instead of his ribs.

"Great. But now that you're happy, can I sleep for a little longer?" Joey asked. "You can stay here with me and cuddle!"

"No, we gotta cook." She wined again.

"If we cook now it's going to be cold before pappy comes home." Joey informed the little girl.

The first few day's after Seto had left for his trip she had been unusually quiet. Even Miss Jojo had noticed it since she wasn't sneaking into Seth's science class anymore. Compared to Seth, she had still been loud and active. But it had been clear that she really missed her pappy. After the first week Joey had started to cross out the dates on the calendar every morning with her and marked the day of Seto's return and ever since then it had been noticeable that she was getting more hipped up again every day and right now, she was worse then ever before. Even on Halloween where she had eaten so many sweets that she was nearly bouncing of the walls hadn't been as bad as this morning. By now he regretted to ever have started with the calender, he would do nearly everything for some sleep.

"Fine," she mumbled and lay down next to him.

Joey had just closed his eyes when she asked "When do we start cooking?"

"Shortly after lunch sweetheart." Joey mumbled without opening his eyes, "He won't be home before eight tonight."

It was quiet again and Joey tried to fall asleep, "Daddy?"

"Yeah?" Joey murmured sleepily with a sigh.

"When is eight?" Joe-Joe asked moving around constantly unable to calm down enough to fall asleep herself.

"In a little more then 14 hours." Joey answered.

Joey was just about asleep when he heard Joe-Joe again, "Daddy?"

Joey tried not to react hoping that she would just give up if she thought him asleep already.

"DADDY?" She screamed and pulled his hair like she had before.

Still, Joey tried his hardest to ignore the slight sting from her gentle pull and pretended to be asleep in the hope she would fall asleep soon.

"Seth?" Joe-Joe asked her brother, "Is he dead now or sleeping?"

Joey couldn't help but chuckle at the silly question which she noticed right away asking, "Daddy are you awake?"

"Yeah," He mumbled and opened one eye. "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to know if you where asleep already." She said with a shrug.

Joey glared at her, "Try to sleep a little Joe-Joe, it's still early."

"Okay." She said and cuddled close to her daddy but less then a minute later she asked, "Daddy?"

"Yeah?" Joey asked hardly able to keep his annoyance out of his voice and certain that at least Seth must be able to notice it.

"How long are 14 hours?" She asked.

Joey gave a sigh. "It's less then a day but a little more then half a day."

"How long is half a day?" She wondered.

Joey pondered on how to explain it to her when Seth answered for him. "Joe-Joe, You go to Kindergarten every day from eight in the morning to one o'clock. That are five hours. If you go there twice, and then go there again but come back after the lunch break at twelve, then you've spend 14 hours in Kindergarten.

"THAT LONG?" She asked shocked, "I've got to wait for Pappy THAT LONG?"

"Joey gave a sigh and then said, "Come let's get up and watch TV to pass the time." Joey offered giving up on sleep. He picked the girl up from the bed and walked right down towards the living room with her, not even bothering to get either her, or himself dressed, he was just to tired to do anything. He put her down again on the big couch in front of the TV and turned on her favourite Barbie DVD before taking a blanked and cuddling onto the couch with her before he mumbled we can watch about 5 Barbie movies before we have to prepare the huge feast for dinner and right after that Pappy will be there, see it won't be that long right?"

"I miss pappy." Joe-Joe mumbled while she cuddled closer to her daddy, "Will he stay now?"

"Sweetheart he won't ever go for too long. He just had to do some work that was so far away that he couldn't come home but he'll always try to be back as soon as possible because he loves us." Joey tried to comfort her, "And he will never go unless there really is absolutely no way around it."

"I still miss pappy." She whispered.

"I miss him too." Joey replied in a whisper and moved an arm around the little girl, "I miss him so much."

Three hours later, during the second Barbie movie in a row, Seth came down, looking more rested then before and probably had slept for at least another hour. He joined his dad, this time with his own laptop. By that time the girl was climbing onto the back of the couch and then jumped down again. Usually Joey would stop her but right now he didn't bother fearing that she would just annoy him even more if she couldn't get all that energy out of her system, and he could always buy a new couch if this one got damaged by her.

"And did you find my new manuscript?" Joey asked his son with a teasing voice.

"Yes." He answered. "And it's really nice."

"How?" Joey asked surprised, "I saved it on my USB stick. How could you find it?"

"Because you made a huge mistake dad." Seth replied in a calm way and after seeing the confusion on his dad's face he explained, "You saved it on your laptop and then copied it onto the USB stick before deleting the original file right? And to my luck you forgot to empty your deleted fills folder."

"My what?" Joey asked.

"The little bin on the desktop." Seth explained calmly looking onto his own laptop.

"Great." Joey mumbled, "Now I know what to do to stop you from reading the rest before I'm finished, I hate it when someone reads it before I'm done editing it."

Seth just looked at his screen ignoring his fathers mumbled complains, he was certain to find a way to get the next chapter anyway, even if he had to steal the USB stick while Joey was sleeping, it probably would be easy anyway since Joey could just about type his books and surf through the internet a little with a laptop. He had never used it for anything else before and that for knew close to nothing about it, especially compared to Seth who by now could hack into Kaiba corp without getting caught. It was quiet for a while with only the sound of the Barbie movie in the background and Joe-Joe's giggles whenever she jumped down the couch. Joey was exhausted and wondering how tiered Seto must be.

The day Joey had started to cross out the days until he'd return for Joe-Joe, Seth had warned him that it might be a bad idea since it would probably be impossible for Seto to finish his mysterious project in time.

Joey had still done it and insured Seth that if Seto said he would be back by then, he will be back. And since Seto hadn't said otherwise the previous night on the phone, Joey was getting impatient now that he was so close to be back in his husbands arms. But he was worried about how Seto had managed to get everything done and how exhausted he must be.

While thinking about it Joey eventually fell asleep though only to be awakened by Joe-Joe again a few moments later. "Daddy, my tummy's rumbling."

The thought of food was enough this time around to wake up her dad and Joey opened his eyes right away and replied, "Fine, I get you some breakfast sorted, how about we both go into the kitchen and find something tasty?"

"Yeah, food." The girl cheered and got up taking one of the remote controls on the table into her hand. Joey looked at her questioningly and she grinned up at him with the words, "Just making sure that I know when to start cook. You said five Barbie movies, now we'll watch five Barbie movies today."

Joey gave a sigh and wished he had said five comedies or some other movies just not Barbie. But at least it would keep her occupied in a rather calm manner and hopefully let him find some sleep during the morning.

A little later all three Kaiba's that where currently in the mansion sat in front of the TV after eating some cornflakes while watching a Barbie movie. Well they all where there, but Seth was reading a book, Joey, who had tried to sleep earlier was working on his new book on his laptop and Joe-Joe was playing with the two stuffed dragon the siblings had. Joey had asked a maid to remove everything breakable, even though not much had survived her attempts to teach a stuffed dragon how to fly for real.

"Daddy, I wanna play makeovers." She suddenly said.

Joey looked at her for a moment and then at the watch and said, "Sorry sweetheart, daddy doesn't have time." He still had plenty of time but he needed an excuse to get around the makeover.

"Why not?" She whined, already using a very weak version of her puppy-eyes, with makeovers it sometimes could persuade Joey. Only because Joey found using his puppy eyes himself more embarrassing, but Joe-Joe didn't know that.

"Because I was just about to ask a maid to mind you two so I can go and buy everything we need for our welcome home dinner for Pappy." Joey answered.

"Wanna go shopping, wanna go shopping." She said and clung to him.

"You want to join us Seth or rather read a bit more in your book?" Joey asked his son.

"I can do both, so I think I join to ensure that Joe-Joe won't disappear." Seth replied without looking up from his book and started to get up from the couch.

"I want a pretty dress to welcome pappy." Joe-Joe insisted with a smile certain that she would get it and she really would, Joey couldn't deny her such things knowing for how long the siblings had to live a less fortunate live before they've met them on her fourth birthday.

Once they where in the first shop Joey regretted the shopping trip right away. It was nearly impossible to keep an eye on the little girl. She was all over the place looking for little treats she wanted to buy for herself as well as Seth and of course for a welcome home present for her pappy. And not for the first time Joey wished he could just put her on a leash, but after all those dog comments he had to endure from Seto during his high school time, he couldn't do it to his daughter.

Joey managed to talk her out of buying more then two sweets certain that a sugar rush was just about the last thing she needed right now. They did find the perfect welcome home present for Seto though. Joe-Joe noticed it on display in the window of a little photographer inside the mall where they bought her new dress, which she was still wearing since she had run out after getting changed before even paying for it. Seth was still in the shop holding Joey's credit card to pay for the dress before meeting up with the other two at a meeting point they usually used when Joey had to leave Seth behind to run after Joe-Joe during a shopping trip in said mall. Luckily the saleswomen knew them by now and weren't surprised that Seth was the one to pay them using his fathers credit card at such a young age.

The only problem they had with Joe-Joe's choices for a present, was that they couldn't really pick from the choices there and bought more then one present for him. They bought a huge 3-Dimensional Photo Crystal with a brand new picture of Joey and their kids for Seto's office and in case he needed to be gone again for any length of time they also got two key chains with a 3-Dimensional Photo Crystal with a picture of the siblings. Joey insisted that the image would be too small for all three of them and that it would be sufficient if they both had the same key chain to remind Seto of him as well. Joey had to pay a lot to have it done and delivered to the mansion before Seto would return but he didn't care about that. He agreed with Joe-Joe that it would be the perfect present for her pappy.

Once they where done shopping they returned home and Joey had a hard time keeping the girl busy by giving her pony rides on his back, picking flowers for the table during dinner, as well as doing a few paintings, followed by the bath she always needed after just looking at any sort of paint. After that he started to prepare a three course meal for Seto together with his daughter, needing at least three times the time with her help as he would have without since he needed to wash her hands or face all the time and needed to find easy tasks for the little girl to 'help' with, coursing him to have to redo somethings whenever she dropped a bowl. Joey had considered a five course meal but was sure that Seto would be exhausted and probably be happy if the dinner didn't take too long and he could get into his own bed. Unfortunately it would probably be impossible to keep Joe-Joe out of said bed, at least if her constant talk about Pappy was any indication. Joey had known that for days though and already warned Seto over the phone the previous night.

Once most of the food was prepared and Joe-Joe was mixing the salad, that was already perfectly mixed, for the fifth time Seth suggested, "Joe-Joe, how about we go and watch out of the window to see when Pap's arrives."

Joe-Joe didn't have time to answer her brother before she was out of the room and on her way, giving Joey hardly enough time to save the Salad from falling to the ground in her eager attempt to run off. "Call me when he arrives okay?" Joey quickly asked Seth who just nodded before he left to stay close to Joe-Joe while Joey finished the last bit for the dinner he had prepared and hoped that Seto would be back soon. One he was done he asked a maid to keep the food warm and instructed her on how to do that best before he walked to find the kids at one of the front windows of the mansion. "Still no sign of Pappy?" He asked sounding much to disappointed for his own taste simultaneously wondering angrily when exactly he had turned into Seto's little housewife.

"No." Joe-Joe answered at least as disappointed sounding as Joey felt and cuddled with her daddy who joint her on the windowsill. "Pappy is still not home."

"Maybe the flight had a little delay or the traffic is bad." Joey wondered aloud. "But I'm sure he'll be home soon."

All three of them looked outside while Joey wondered if the dinner might be cold again or overcooked in the attempt to keep it warm by the time Seto arrives.

It was closer to nine then to eight when the front gate finally opened "Pappy!" Joe-Joe cheered and bolted for the exit before the limousine that drove through the gate was even visible. Joey, who ran after her, caught up to the little girl just in time to pick her up and hold onto her at the bottom of the steeps to the entrance while Seth walked out after them. The car just reached the front of the house and parked while Joey was glad that he had Joe-Joe on his arm afraid that she might have gotten run over by the vehicle otherwise. Once Seto was out of the car Joey let go of the struggling girl who all but flew into her Pappy's arms. "Pappy, pappy I miss you soooooooooo much." She said and moved her arms to show how much she had missed him.

"I missed you too." He answered calmly and hugged her tight before smiling towards Seth and Joey. The grown up one running towards him while the child slowly walked behind.

Joey hugged his husband tightly cuddling close to him while Seth just looked up saying, "Welcome home Pap's."

"It's good to be home." Seto said smiling towards his son while one of his arms was wrapped around his husband and the other one was still busy holding Joe-Joe who was happy to finally be able to cuddle with both of her parents again.

"You look exhausted Pap's." Seth simply stated after a moment. "Did you finish everything or do you need to leave again?"

"Of course I finished everything." Seto answered still holding on to the two people that cringed from the thought of him leaving again and added in a slightly teasing voice, "But I would like to finally get inside of my home if that's okay with my two cuddle monsters."

"Sorry." Joey murmured and eased up on the vice grip around his husbands neck in favour of picking up Seth and holding him with one arm before walking inside with the other arm around his husbands waist. "I missed you, you know."

Seto smiled at him and answered, "I missed you too, all of you."

"I made a party for you." Joe-Joe said already sounding thrilled with it while Seto paled slightly. Seth had been right, he looked exhausted, dreadfully exhausted even. Like he hadn't slept at all for at least two nights, if not three, considering how much he was used to staying up late and working early in the mornings.

Joey noticed the strong smell of coffee around Seto and was sure that he more or less had lived from said liquid to stay alert enough to finish his work in time and still being able to talk to Joey and the kids on the phone. "We'll have it next weekend," Joey said soothing his husband who looked like he was about to run off in order to find a peaceful place to spend the night and return a little more refreshed for his daughters surprises. "And for tonight we prepared a little dinner for you before we can go to bed and cuddle a little. After all it's a school night and the kids have to leave early in the morning." Joey added hoping that Seto would stay home the next day instead of going into the office to enjoy the kids free morning together.

Seto smiled thankfully towards his husband and said, "That's great, I'm actually quiet hungry, the food on the island wasn't the best. Probably because the buildings weren't finished and there was no kitchen other then the smallish fridge and a microwave in one of the temporary shads."

"You where on a island?" Joe-Joe asked in a slightly whiny voice, "Was there a beach? Why couldn't I go."

"I didn't go there on a holiday, and trust me, it wasn't warm enough to go to a beach for a swim anyway." Seto informed her with a smile.

"But there's sand to make a pretty castle with daddy." Joe-Joe insisted.

"And what about Miss Jojo?" Seto asked, "I bet she would have missed you in Seth's science class."

"She could come too." Joe-Joe quickly retorted.

"And the rest of Seth's class?" Seto asked curious about what answer she might give him this time. "What will all of them do without their teacher."

"Take them too." Joe-Joe insisted right away, "More slaves to make a castle."

Seto frowned and was sure that it was completely Bakura's fault that his innocent little daughter talked about slaves to build her castle.

"And what about the other teachers that have to teach them?" Seto asked certain that he already knew the answer this time.

"The more the merrier." Joe-Joe said, a sentence she must have heard Joey use a couple of times when taking her out with his cheerleading geek squat.

"Keep that up and you've got all of domino squished onto a tiny island but I swear to you, I stay here." Joey said and after a curious look from his daughter he added, "Since there wasn't even a kitchen I bet pappy couldn't buy any chocolate at all so I rather stay."

Joe-Joe looked like she had to think really hard before she said, "I wanna chocolate…but I wanna pappy too."

"Then wait for pappy and let him do his work, that way he'll be done much sooner and we'll have him all to ourselves again." Joey suggested.

"Fine." Joe-Joe answered but still didn't sound too pleased about it.

"Don't worry my little princess." Seto calmed her, "I won't need to go again any time soon."

"Will we finally find out what this secret project is about?" Joey asked once they where seated and the maids had started to serve the food and after Seto had shown his appreciation for the presents the kids had handed him at the table.

"Hasn't Seth done that by now?" He asked looking at the boy in surprise. Seth had found out about it before he had been adopted. He had hacked Seto's system for information on the brunet to get the two of them together at the time.

"How would I know?" Seth said innocently since Seto so far had no proof of his son's illegal activities. Seth could have tried and pretend to have heard about it at when helping Seto in the office three days a week, but hardly anyone in said office had been involved in it, meaning they had as much knowledge about it as Joe-Joe. Even Seth wasn't involved in it and so far he hadn't even heard a rumour about it during work and he didn't want to take the risk to pretend otherwise.

"Yeah right." Seto answered looking doubtfully. "Anyway, the project will be announced soon so I might as well tell you now. I'm building and founding a school. An academy for future duellist where duelling strategies and practical training will be part of the curriculum. To prevent the future duellist from any major distractions like discos and such I'm building it on an island where the teens will be living in different houses according to their duelling abilities."

"Sounds cool." Joey answered sounding slightly worried. "What credentials would the children need to be accepted without using any connections thy might have to the founder and owner o the school?"

"Trust me," Seto answered, "Seth would get in easily, unless of course you use your connections to course him some troubles."

"I wish I could." Joey grumbled, "I don't want my baby boy to leave but unfortunate he is smart enough to find proof for it if I tried to stop him and would be angry with me for it. And anyway, I want him happy and if that's what it takes. But the founder and owner could have considered my point of the kids leaving their family before starting to build it that far away."

"Don't worry." Seth answered, "I probably won't feel challenged enough by it to bother getting into the academy."

"It is for people with average intellect but a certain talent for duelling." Seto answered, "So you're probably right and won't find something challenging there. You'll probably find it more interesting to stay close to the company and duel your godfather."

"I guess Jaden would enjoy it tough." Seth mused quietly and Seto wondered if that in itself would present enough of a motivation for Seth to go there too. He would have to talk to him in time and see if he truly could already have feelings for the boy, that went beyond simple friendship or if the strong bond was simply due to the fact, that for the fast majority of his life Joe-Joe was the only available companion. "While thinking about that." Seth suddenly said, "Jaden invited me to spend tomorrow night with him and his new mother. He wants to show me his new room and Miss Jojo promised to have me at school in time on the following day and offered that if Joe-Joe refuses to be left behind she may join us and play makeovers with her while Jaden and I keep ourselves occupied."

"I wanna go I wanna go I wanna go." Joe-Joe said right away.

"I don't mind." Joey answered and looked at Seto adding, "But I don't know about your Pappy since he had to miss you for so long."

"I missed him too." Joe-Joe answered, "But not now, he's right there." And with that she pointed her little finger towards her pappy. Joey had to fight a laugh at her conclusion.

"I don't mind, under two condition." Seto answered. "I had never assumed how used I got to the sleeptalking of you and daddy so I really want us all to cuddle tonight and the second one is, I want to be allowed to drive you both up to school tomorrow instead of daddy."

"Fine by me." Joey replied and looked at Seto, "As long as you get back to bed and rest some more after that, you really do look exhausted." And Joe-Joe started to cheer. Since Seto looked too tired to be much fun tonight, and the fact that Joe-Joe hadn't let him get much sleep recently, ensured that Joey really didn't mind having to share his husband with their kids. And if Seto drove them to school, he would have to be awake enough for some interesting breakfast in bed afterwards, including cream and fruits. And thanks to Joey's by now favourite teacher ever, he would have some extra time with Seto to celebrate his return to their own bed in private..


	12. The danger of butterflies, cats, and pup

**Authors note: **A very special thanks to yuriama sohma who inspired this chapter with a painting on deviantart. If you want to see it just look at my profile where I have a link that should work. from there you can reach her gallery and look at a drawing of her own character as she appears in the story I tried to get the link up here but fanfiction kept messing it up even though I added more spaces then the link I got from her via mail. I'm sorry for the trouble of having to go to my profile but you really should have a look to see where I got the inspiration from and to visualize 'Kiki' a bit easier.

Also another big thank you to yuriama sohma for giving me permission to use her picture that inspired this story as a temporary book cover. I might change it if another painting inspires a new chapter but until then I'll keep this picture of my little OC Joe-Joe and Kiki.

I also would like to thank kitty tokyo uzumaki, lilgurlanima, BrowneyedShamer, Thaic, Kitsune Demon Girl and yuriama sohma for reviewing the last chapter.

And now, please enjoy the story.

* * *

**The danger of butterflies, cats, and puppies.**

"Jaden, have you seen Joe-Joe?" Seth asked his best friend.

"No why?" Jaden asked. "Isn't she with her group?"

"If I'd assumed she was I wouldn't ask now would I?" Seth asked sounding slightly worried which coursed Jaden too look at his usually collected and calm friend who looked over to his sisters group before he said, "Chill pal. Maybe one of the older ones is getting a drink with her or something. You know how well she's got everyone around her little pinkie with her puppy eyes."

"I hope your right." Seth answered. "I still wish I could have been in her group."

"You know it's against school policy, after all this is to make friends with the kids from other classes." Jaden reminded.

Seth wasn't sure if that really was all. Their group had two kids from nearly every grade even two Kindergarteners where in it and the older ones that would leave the primary school soon had to make sure that everyone could help in the games and that the smaller ones wouldn't get hurt or anything. It was probably to teach them responsibility as well as the younger ones to act more independently from grown-ups. One more reason why Seth had wanted to be in the same group as his sister. He didn't trust the other kids to keep an eye on her in the huge park where they had gone to play this game. Or rather games considering that they had to do a multitude of games to get points in form of 'food', or rather printed Paper that was called food for some reason, that they brought to a tiny paper camel who was then moved one step further for every five points. The one reaching the goal first or getting the closest by the time the day was over would win.

The games where especially designed to have the smaller ones involved, like one game where all of them had to carry the one of their group around on a makeshift stretcher over some stones and around some trees. Seth was sure that Joe-Joe would enjoy being the one on the stretcher and was glad to have noticed that the other Kindergartener in her group was a good bit taller and probably heavier.

Seth looked around again and then left his group who was just taking a short breakfast break since they were far in the lead thanks to the fact that Jaden was the fastest Kid in school, even taking the ones from the higher grades into consideration, and Seth was by far the most intelligent one having already picked what games to play in what order to have the most advantage over the others as well as being a great help when it came to strategy or knowledge like at the quiz they had done at one of the games to earn 'food' points.

He walked over to Joe-Joe's group and asked one of the older ones, "Excuse me please, I just wanted to ask where I might find my sister Joe-Joe."

"Don't know." The older one said and pointed towards a girl, "But I think she took her to the toilets earlier to make sure she would find the way."

Seth walked towards the girl the other boy had pointed at and asked. "Excuse me please, I was told that you might know where I find my sister Joe-Joe."

The girl looked around and then said, "Now that you mentioned it, I think I haven't seen her since I brought her to the toilet."

"Did you not stay with her?" Seth asked.

"Of course not." She answered, "It's not that far and she said she was a big girl and would find her way back."

"And you believed her?" Seth asked.

"Sure why?" The girl asked, "Was that wrong?"

Seth just left her and ran towards the girls' room and asked the next best girl if she could have a look inside to see if Joe-Joe was in there only to find out that she wasn't. He immediately ran towards Miss Jojo who had another one of those games Joe-Joe would love which Seth had placed at the end of his list since it involved face paint and he really wasn't looking forward to that.

"Miss Jojo." He said, "Could you please help me with something?"

Miss Jojo looked up in surprise; Seth had never asked her for help with anything before. "Of course what can I do for you?"

"My sister is not with her group. She was left alone at the ladies rest room and never returned. I already looked for her there but she's still missing. Could you please help me find her?"

"What?" Miss Jojo asked shocked and prayed that they would find the cute little girl soon. "How can we possible find her now? The park is huge and knowing her she could be literally anywhere. She might even have left the park."

"Could you maybe organize the search to be turned into another game? Maybe the first group to find her will get some extra points? That way more people will help search for her and I truly believe that everyone knows my little sister by now and could recognize her." Seth suggested certain that really everyone did know the little girl. It's very likely that she annoyed everyone in school at some point or another by asking endless questions about something she had found interesting all the while looking so adorable that no one would ever dare to tell her that her questions where getting annoying.

"Great idea I'll get it organized right away." Miss Jojo said and first talked to the director of the school who then used a megaphone to announce that a Kindergartener was missing and the group who would find her first would win some food points. Since all the other games where put on hold until then, so the teacher could search as well, Seth was sure that every child in school was searching the park but that still did little to reassure him. He got his mobile out and called his Pap's, certain that his connections would be a more efficient help in finding her then his dad's.

"Hallo Seth," Seto said when he picked up having seen the caller id already. "Why are you calling during school time? Did something happen on your school trip?"

"Yes actually." Seth confirmed, "Joe-Joe's missing."

"WHAT?" Seto screamed outraged. "How could that happen?"

"We were all divided into groups and the older children where to watch the smaller ones." Seth explained. "Most kids can watch themselves alright and one of the kids in Joe-Joe's group thought she could find her way back after a toilet break."

"And the teachers?" He asked still outraged and already on his way to the park where the kids should be. "Weren't they watching you guys?"

"They were at the individual game stations to ensure that no one would get hurt there or start to fight with each other." Seth explained further.

"This is not acceptable. I will be there in a moment and bring some of my security to help find her." Seto answered.

Seth, who was already walking around all the areas his sister might have found interesting and been able to see on her way from the girls rest room, was worried that his Pap's might go a little over board with his anger and called his dad next in the hope that he would keep Seto calm.

"Hey kiddo, what's up?" Joey asked on the phone after seeing the caller id and sounded worried since it wasn't like Seth to make a social call, even _outside_ of school hours.

"Joe-Joe is missing and I fear that Pap's is going slightly overboard with his anger, I just called him to help search but he's really angry. Could you help look for Joe-Joe too as well as stop him from suing my school?"

"I'll be there in a second and don't worry about Seto, he'll calm down a little once we find Joe-Joe." Joey told him but right now wouldn't mind suing the school for losing one of his precious kids himself. A part of him knew how hard it was to keep sight of Joe-Joe on her own, though, never mind in a huge group of kids that needed to be watched.

It only took Joey about 10 minutes to get there on his bike while Seto took about 5 minutes more with his limousine since the traffic was slow. Once there Seto complained that Joe-Joe had forgotten the little ring he had gotten her again because he had put a GPS sender into that to locate her in case she ever got lost, fearing it since the very first time he met her. He still truly believed that she had run of on Seth while he was in the gent's rest room even though all of that had been carefully planned to insure a meeting with them.

Roland and some of the other men from Seto's security where looking through the streets outside of the park while the groups of kids where still looking around the park.

In the mean-time Joe-Joe was walking through a shopping mall. She wasn't sure how exactly she had gotten to it after only following one really pretty and colourful butterfly, two different cats and not to forget the cute little puppy dog she had seen after the white and before the stripped cat. She looked around and wondered where Seth could have gone too, he usually was watching her from somewhere and was there seconds after she started to look for him, but this time he just didn't show up. Joe-Joe walked around the mall until she saw a bookstore. If Seth had run off on her, he would definitely go into that one. She ran towards the bookstore, happy to find her brother soon, and ran right into a woman. "Oof, Well hallo there little one! Don't run so fast or you'll get hurt." The woman who was wearing a purple and black outfit said.

Joe-Joe looked up into her green eyes and then smiled, "Sorry, but I gotta find Seth."

"Is that your brother?" The woman asked, "Or an uncle?"

"He's my big brother." Joe-Joe answered, "But smarter than my monkey unkas, I think smarter than then any of my unkas."

"I guess then that he likes to read because you'll learn a lot by reading little one." The woman answered with a smile.

"Did you see him?" Joe-Joe asked looking up at the woman whose long brown hair was tied to a Ponytail.

"I don't know, what does he look like?" The woman asked.

"He's this big." Joe-Joe started and held her hand up to about Seth's height. "And he's got red eyes and black hair. He looks like Daddy's dragon but he's smart like Pappy."

"Your daddy has a dragon?" The woman asked and walked into the shop with the girl, she hadn't noticed a boy that matched the description but she might have overlooked him.

"Yes, a big dragon on a card but he can make it come out when he plays cards with Seth and Seth has the same one now and he's got a stuffed one just like mine here but black with red eyes." Joe-Joe said cheerfully holding up her stuffed blue-eyes white dragon that still had to follow her everywhere, even to Kindergarten.

"I'm afraid your brother isn't here," the woman said after another look around and not seeing any kid at all since at least most were probably in school, "But what does your daddy look like?" The woman asked looking curious.

"He's bigger then Seth but littler then Pappy and he's got blond hair and Pappy said his eyes look like melted gold but Seth said it's light brown and he's funny." Joe-Joe said and started to look a little sad when she added, "I miss daddy. I wanna go home."

"What's your daddy's name?" The woman asked, quickly tucking away her surprise that the little girl had a Daddy AND a Pappy when she saw her getting sad.

"Daddy." Joe-Joe answered without thinking.

"Oh sure," The woman said with a smile, "I should have known. But, you see, I'm sure he's got a real name too. You know, like, your brother's name isn't brother is it?"

"No," Joe-Joe answered, "His name's Seth."

"I know, you told me. And what about your daddy? What is his name?" The woman asked again, "What do others call him?"

"We called him Joey before he became Daddy." Joe-Joe answered.

"Wow." The woman mused, more to herself than to the little girl, "I never thought he'd find someone after all that time being a single."

"You know Daddy?" Joe-Joe asked.

"Better than most," The woman said, "I bet I'd be able to tell you, your brother, and your Pappy a lot of embarrassing stories about your Daddy. I'll never forget how I found him locked into a closet with a crying girl once. She had just confessed her feelings and he had to let her down. I could have told those morons who locked them up to get them together that it would never work."

"Monkey unkas did that too." Joe-Joe told her, "They locked Daddy up with Pappy but that didn't work too."

"Something obviously worked for them to have you two." The stranger with the kind eyes said.

"They had us then too." The girl said with a smile, "Daddy still wanted to go away but Seth got them together and now daddy stays. Just pappy sometimes goes for work he goes away every day, that's so mean."

"Someone needs to earn money for treats don't they?" The woman answered. "But more importantly little one, what's your name? I know your daddy's and your brother's names but I have no idea who you are."

"I'm Joe-Joe." The girl said, "And you?"

"I'm Kitsune Tenshi." The woman said, "Nice to meet you."

"Kitune…Kisune…Kitsne…" The girl tried to say her name noticing herself that it just doesn't want to come out right. "Stupid name." She finally concluded.

"You can call me Kiki." The woman offered noticing the girls' problem with the name right away.

"Aunty Kiki?" The girl asked, "Will you help me find Seth?"

"Of course I will, sure thing little one." Kitsune answered smiling towards the child. "Where did you last see him?"

"We played in the park but the teacher put him in another group." Joe-Joe whined.

"I'm sure they had a good reason, and, after all, you can play with him all afternoon right?" Kitsune said.

"No I can't." Joe-Joe wined again, "He's with pappy at work all the time."

"That's not nice." Kiki said with a grin and then added, "But now how are we going to find your daddy, because I'd rather find him and have a chat with him than your brother. But then again, we should just get them to find you, I bet they're worried."

Joe-Joe thought for a moment and then said, "Maybe Seth called Pappy and Daddy to help find me after he ran off." Joe-Joe answered.

"He ran off?" Kiki asked.

"Sure he's always watching me, but he isn't now." Joe-Joe explained her conclusion.

"You're in a park with him and when you end up in a mall, he's the one to have run off?" Kiki summed up with a grin, "That's one way to put it little one, but I bet he'd put it differently. But now let's walk to the park, whether your dad is there or not, the most important thing is to get you back to your family right? And since we know that your brother is at the park, that's where I'll take you."

"Thanks Aunty Kiki." Joe-Joe said and then looked at her with all the might of her Puppy eyes, "Can I have some ice cream on the way?"

Kiki laughed for a moment before she said, "Why not little sweet tooth? But you don't have to use your puppy eyes on me for that, I love ice cream too."

In the mean-time Seto and Joey had decided to look outside of the park in places that might have caught the little girl's eyes. Seto was checking all the shops with sweets on display while Joey checked all shops with jewels and little girl's dresses. Due to that Kiki didn't need to go all the way to the park because she had just left the bookstore when she saw Joey walk into a shop that sold kids clothes on the other side of the mall.

"Hey, little one," Kiki said, "How about we surprise your daddy and sneak up behind him and I just ask him if he lost you?"

"Yeah let's surprise daddy." Joe-Joe answered cheerfully.

Kiki walked into the shop with the little girl on her arm and looked around every corner to watch and see if Joey was there, and, when she found him, sneaked up from behind. "Oi, anyone lose the cutest kid ever?" Kiki asked in a rather loud voice to scare Joey. The fact that he nearly jumped through the ceiling before he turned around was proof that it had worked perfectly.

"Joe-Joe," Joey screamed and had the girl from Kiki's arms and tightly into his own within seconds, not even noticing from whom he grabbed the girl in that moment. "Where have you been? We've all been worried sick about you!"

"Seth just left me." Joe-Joe complained.

"Sure, blame your poor brother who was worried sick and searching for you like mad." Joey kept chiding while cuddling the little girl he loved and had worried about so much at the same time. "Joe-Joe what did you follow to end up here?"

"First I saw a pretty butterfly, he flew up and down up and down and had many colours, and then a white cat, she was all white like snow and looked sooooooo soft and then there was a woman with a puppy dog on her arm he was soooooo tiny he couldn't walk all the way and then there was a striped cat that the dog barked at and I ran after to cuddle it, it must have been afraid and then I saw this mall and looked for Seth but he wasn't there! So I walked to the books because he loves books and then there was Kiki and she told me you were locked up with a girl and made her cry."

"Kiki?" Joey said surprised and looked at the woman from whom he had snatched his precious daughter and smiled, "Kiki! How have you been love?"

"Ah that's my Irish pal." Kiki said happy and gave him a hug. She had missed him a lot, as well as most of her Irish friends, having loved it that nearly every guy in Ireland addressed her with sweetheart or love. Unfortunately that also goes for all the other girls in the pub she worked in.

"She isn't love, Pappy is love." Joe-Joe complained right away looking angry towards the stranger who had been so nice to her.

"Don't worry little one, your pappy can keep him." Kiki reassured the girl with a stifled giggle, "Daddy and I met in Ireland and we soon found out that every Irish guy called all the girls either sweetheart or love and it became our joke that he also called me love and became my Irish pal, especially after finding out that truthfully we're both from here and not Irish at all. But now, Joey, you've got to tell me everything you did since we met, you were about to head for home but only temporarily and then you wanted to go to some place in Spain right? How come you stayed here and since when or have you been to Spain and simply returned again missing your high school sweetheart? And who is the guy who got you over this dude who you always cried about? I still don't get how anyone could possibly think that you were in love with anyone but him and lock you up with that poor girl that had fallen for you so badly, but then again you never talked about him to anyone other than me and even to me only when you were absolutely wasted, oh yeah, there was also that time you and I got handcuffed together for a day by my flatmate, are you still always trying to look cheerful when you're actually totally down in the dumps? But then again I bet that changed, I heard you got two kids now, this little one and her brother who supposedly is smatter then her monkey unkas and probably all the others too and what about your books did you become an author? You were thinking about it weren't you? But I haven't seen your name on any books, but knowing you, that probably doesn't mean anything, but what about…."

"Kiki stop." Joey said laughing, "You're getting all hyped up again and I don't even remember the first question anymore."

"She's funny." Joe-Joe said, "She doesn't need to breathe when she speaks."

"Yeah just like you, only Kiki doesn't run around when starting to go overboard with her excitement like you do. And she is just doing that since we haven't seen each other in years but she hasn't changed a bit."

"But you obviously have." Kiki pointed out, "Never thought that anyone would get you to settle down anywhere. Who is it that managed to get that miracle to happen?"

"Seto." Joey said with a blush.

"Wait? Isn't that the name of that guy you always cried your eyes out about when drunk?" Kiki asked, remembering all too well how often Joey had talked about it on his first stay abroad and how he had complained that he couldn't bear being in Domino because of what happened to his dad, even though he didn't even tell her what exactly DID happen with his dad, but he couldn't bear to stay away from it because he longed to see Seto but he couldn't stay there because of Seto too because it hurt be constantly addressed as a mutt or worse. "I mean the guy who called you names and was so mean to you during high school? How did that happen?"

"Pappy isn't mean." Joe-Joe immediately said to protect her pappy. "HE always buys ice cream when he promised."

"Oh right that reminds me, I promised her ice cream so we better get it." Kiki said to Joey, "But is that really hear Pap's?"

"He's Seth's Pap's and my pappy." Joe-Joe clarified.

"Same difference." Kiki answered still waiting for Joey to confirm it.

"While we're talking about Pappy, How about you two lovely ladies go ahead to get some ice cream and I join you there in a sec after I give your Pappy a call. He and Seth must still be worried sick about you Joe-Joe." Joey said instead.

"Fine but then you have to tell me everything got it? I'll take her to that little ice café and WLIL sit there with her and order you some ice cream too and in return you talk while eating." Kiki insisted, too happy to have met her friend again to let him go way without telling her every detail about what had happened to him.

"It isn't polite to talk with your mouth full." Joey said with a grin, "But I'll happily tell you everything you want to know between each bite."

"Fine." Kiki said and took Joe-Joe back onto her arm and walked with her towards the little ice café that was located inside the mall. "See you in a bit Joey and don't be late or I might have run of with this little cutie."

"Yeah right," Joey called after her, "She's sweet but too energetic for you anyway."

Kiki laughed in return. "Sure, after dealing with you and the other regulars at the pub THAT'S possible!" she called over her shoulder as she walked away.

Once she was gone Joey called Seto first knowing that he was probably close to calling his lawyers to sue the school. "I found her." Joey said right after Seto had picked up.

"Finally, how is she and where did you find her?" Seto asked.

"She was in the mall but not to looking for clothes. She looked for Seth in a book store and is actually upset at him for running off." Joey said in a joking tone.

"Silly girl." Seto mused also sounding much more amused now that his fears where calmed. "I hope you got it into her brain that it was her fault."

"I'm working on that one but now I'll have some ice with her since Kiki promised her some." Joey informed him. "Could you go to Seth and tell him that we got her and make sure to calm him down while I make sure that Joe-Joe won't dare to blame him for this? He already feels way too responsible for her."

"Kiki?" Seto asked, "The same one you met in Ireland?"

"Yeah, that's the one." Joey said happy that he had told Seto about all of his friends, at least the major ones, he wasn't sure if he forgot about some of his friends that he hadn't known for too long or too closely. He was sure that Seto's jealousy would only be worse if he thought Joey had kept a friend from him purposefully. "Joe-Joe was with her, they met in the book store and Kiki noticed me looking for her and brought her back, now she wants to pump me for information on what I've been up too."

It was quiet for a moment and Joey could picture Seto's face and already knew what he was thinking about, weighing Seth's need for one of his parents with his need to stay close to Joey while some woman he didn't know that might have some interest in his husband, which Joey just hadn't noticed, might be flirting with him. And Seto came to the result that Joey had feared, "I'll call Seth and then join you."

"Seth needs you." Joey insisted. "And don't worry, I promise I won't flirt."

"In that case I just tell Seth that a woman that I don't know found Joe-Joe and is currently with you and his sister in a cozy little ice café while you don't want me there." Seto asked sounding much too smug for Joey's taste, "How long do you presume it will take for Seth to send me to you to insure that his family will be all right and to feel safer?"

"That will be never." Joey insisted, "Unlike a certain dragon, my son trusts me."

"Are you sure about that?" Seto asked.

"Oh whatever," Joey resigned, "It's not like I got anything to hide but do me a favour and after calling Seth, pick him up and bring him with you. He'll probably be grateful to get around those silly games in the park anyway and feel better when he sees Joe-Joe safe and sound for himself."

"As you wish." Seto told him, happy that he was actually allowed to interfere with his private little chat. "I'll see you, soon."

Joey gave a sigh and hung up on him without a good-bye upset at the little trust Seto seemed to have in him. Even though he had been expecting it, he was a little disappointed, but not nearly enough to start a fight over some trifle like that. It was just the way Seto was and Joey loved him just that way and could easily accept that one tiny little flaw.

Once he reached the ice café he sat down and said, "Pappy's on the way."

"Great, then I get to meet the guy myself and see if he's good enough for you." Kiki teased.

"Pappy's the best." Joe-Joe said upset, "And you can't mess with them."

"She's just teasing me." Joey reassured her, "Don't worry Joe-Joe, I'll love your pappy all my life, no one is going to get in between us."

"Okay," Joe-Joe said with a trusting look on her little face and a happy smile before she stuffed her face with her ice cream already staining her school uniform.

"She really is energetic," Kiki answered with a smile, "Just like you are. And now tell me, is her pappy really the same guy who picked on you?"

"Yeah," Joey admitted with a blush, "Turned out that he loved me all along too. He just had a really strange way of showing that."

"I'd say," Kiki mused, "But you're happy now? And are you working? Are you an author? And did you ever go to Spain or did you stay here right away? Can you even bear to be here after that mystery about your dad that you never talk about? And how long have you had the kids and how did you meet them? How did you get together with Seto and…" She never even realized she was getting on a roll and speaking a kilometer a second again.

"Slow down Kiki." Joey answered, "One question at a time and yes I was in Spain, and in France and Germany and well a few other places. I was about to go to Sydney when I got married and still wanted to go at first. I was just getting married so Seto was allowed to adopt those two rascals. But Seth got us to admit our feelings to him and recorded that. He's a devious little genius."

"Good boy." Kiki said, "I bet the kids were really happy and you should be ashamed of yourself for even considering leaving such a cutie here, never mind leaving both kids to fend for themselves!" Kiki comically wagged a finger at him, like a scolding teacher in an old cartoon.

"They would have had Seto." Joey defended himself with a blush. "And it wasn't like they didn't know from the start that I wanted to leave."

"Don't go Daddy!" the girl said only having listened to half of the conversation.

"I won't sweetie, we were just talked about me thinking about going to Sydney way back and Kiki chided me for daring to leave you two alone." Joey explained to calm her.

"Good Kiki." Joe-Joe said and happily continued eating her ice.

"Now that I know how you got him? How did you get them?" Kiki asked and pointed towards Joe-Joe.

"I'm not quite sure about that but I bet it has to do with Seth and her making plans right from the start." Joey explained. "I met Seth when he lost her, which isn't likely when he's actually allowed to watch her, and Seth asked me for help and she asked Seto, through Mokuba but still. It was clear nearly right away after finding the other sibling that they wanted to get us together and be adopted. She and Seth told us a story about Dragons that where together and named after us."

"How funny, I'll have to hear it sometime, but let me guess you were black and Seto was white?" Kiki assumed.

"Nope the other way around since she's like me and Seth is like Seto." Joey told her, "But in the end they got twins thanks to a magical trick. Oh and Seto stole my bunny."

"Your bu-what now?" Kiki asked confused.

"My bunny, but just in the story so it isn't important. It's just sort of a family inside joke that in the end of the story the dragon named Seto ate a bunny that the dragon named Joey wanted to eat all along." Joey explained. "But anyway, we both loved the kids right away and meet up with them a few times and quickly didn't want to leave them in the orphanage they were in. That's when Seto asked me to marry him all of a sudden and I thought 'I'm gonna faint', but he said it was just to get them which actually hurt since I wanted him to want me and not them. I mean I wanted them too and I wanted him to want them as well so we could have them but I wanted him to want me too… was that too confusing?" Joey asked.

"No way, I get it." Kiki answered, "I absolutely understand and he should have told you the truth right away but, hey, you're happy now so it doesn't matter anymore does it?"

"No. I'm so happy to have him; I just wish I had a better job again." Joey answered.

"Why don't you look for one?" Kiki asked.

"I don't know what?" Joey answered, "And I don't really need to work since I got quite famous with my books but I won't tell you who I am."

"Blue Eyes, now keep going." Kiki said.

Joey stared and asked, "How did you know?"

"You always talked about Seto's amazing _blue eyes_ and how you loved his _blue eyes_ even when they looked cold and scary and that his _blue eyes_ were the best and that his _blue eyes _sparkled when he was looking proudly towards his brother and, do I need to continue? Also the books are just what you always liked to read so I was guessing for a while that it might be you. So keep going why is it so bad not to have to work?"

"Because I'm starting to turn into Seto's little housewife, ME a HOUSEWIFE. Can you imagine that?" Joey asked outraged.

"Sure." Kiki answered calmly, "Or would you ever let anyone else take care of your kids? I mean even if you work part time again, you'd still be there for them most of the time and still be a little housewife that way. You're way to caring to be anything else."

"Great way to comfort me." Joey pouted but pulled Joe-Joe on his lap while moving her ice in front of himself for her. He knew that Kiki was right; he would never let anyone else take care of them and go to work himself, not even Seto. He liked being home when they got home from school and playing with them, noticing every little change in their development like when Joe-Joe managed to say a new word, or improved her grammar a little, or to watch Seth play with her patiently going through all of her crazy ideas with so much love and devotion. He couldn't bare sit at work and leave all of those little moments to someone else. "Maybe you're right. But I still don't like being a housewife."

"Then don't." Kiki said grinning evilly, "Don't see it as being Seto's obedient little housewife. Be the kids' stubborn and wild dad. That also means to keep the house in order and organized for them but you still can get on your husband's nerves."

"Man I missed your advice. You always gave the best ones, that's why I always went to that pub hoping you had to work." Joey answered.

"I know, I'm the best!" Kiki answered laughing happily. "No need to state what everybody already knows! But now tell me what you did in Spain and so on."

Joey was just about to answer when Joe-Joe jumped down from his lap and screamed, "Pappy, Pappy, I got ice cream."

A moment later she was jumping into the arms of a man that Kiki only knew through the media as a cold and collected businessman that probably wasn't the best match for Joey. She did notice a small and proud smile on the man's face though when he picked the girl up gently and hugged her affectionately. They might not be very similar, but this man clearly was kinder than the media made him look, or maybe kinder than he wanted to look. "Seth was worried you know?" Seto said to the girl, "Don't just run away again, you need to stay with the people who are supposed to watch you. You can't expect him to notice you run off every single time, he had to help his group my little princess."

"Sorry." Joe-Joe said cheerfully, "Where is Seth?"

"In the park." Seto answered.

"Jaden?" Joey asked certain that he must have puppy eyed Seth into staying and help them win. He rarely ever used that gift, finding it embarrassing, but he had seen Joey sway Seth into denying his little sister a rather silly request once and Jaden had tried that too. Surprisingly it had worked and now Jaden used it even if only in cases of emergency where he really wanted something. He did use it much more often than Joey though.

"Jaden." Seto confirmed before leaning down to Joey and giving him rather heated kiss, clearly designed to show Kiki to whom Joey belonged. And, surely to Seto's dismay, she only laughed at the display.

Joey grinned at Seto afterwards and then answered, "No worries, she knew that I loved you before you did."

"Yeah and I have to admit that back then I told you to forget about that ja-…er, guy." Kiki admitted remembering what Joey had told her and what words she had used to describe a mean jerk like him. Unfortunately she couldn't speak as freely in the company of the little girl as she liked too.

Seto glared at her while Joey explained, "Well you thought he didn't love me back and since I told you what he did in high school, it was the logical advice to give. And now even you start chiding me for ever considering leaving my family to go to Sydney."

"Well, yeah, that would have been the most idiotic move on the face of the planet Joey." Kiki replied rolling her eyes.

Seto relaxed a little after hearing that her opinion obviously had started to change and just sat down next to Joey.

"Can you stay Pappy?" Joe-Joe asked, "Don't you need to work?"

"More or less." Seto answered happy that he had time to stay with Joey while that woman was present, "I cleared my schedule for the day after hearing that you'd gone missing, just to be safe. And now it would just be troublesome to reorganize everything again, so I might as well take the rest of the day off."

"How, Lucky!" Joey answered, "Then how about we three go back to the park so you can continue help your group?"

"Oi! And what about me?" Kiki asked, feeling a bit miffed, she wasn't even close to being done with half of her questions about what Joey had been up to during the last couple of years.

"Oh, like I said earlier on, I don't have much work so we could meet up some morning during the week while the kids are in school and Seto has to work, we could even make that a regular thing if you want, that gives me something to do while my husband is busy." Joey replied with an evil grin, knowing that it would drive Seto insane as well as that he was probably already considering ways to spy on those meetings for a while at least. Just to be sure that Joey was safe of course.

"But I want to get to know your husband and Seth too." Kiki playfully whined a little.

"Oh that's easy." Joey told her with a grin, "We'll also meet some afternoons when Seth is home and then you give me a kiss on the cheek, Seto is sure to hear about it and come running."

Seto blushed a little for a moment before he looked angrily at Kiki who whined, "Just on the cheek? How boring!" She was clearly trying to rile Seto up some.

"Sorry but the lips are reserved for my jealous dragon." Joey said teasingly and to defuse Seto's anger a little more he gave him a kiss to prove the point. "I love you Seto, we're just kidding around a little." He mumbled and was happy to see a little smile on his lips, even though the worried frown stayed in place. He obviously worried that Kiki might have feelings for Joey and didn't like the possibility. And Joey feared that Kiki would actually enjoy teasing him with that for a while and that it might be better not to let them get close too often, just to save his friend from a jealous dragon's wrath.


	13. Kiki's Visit

Lily272: Thanks to kitty tokyo uzumaki, yuriama sohma and Sasu-Sama' Sarukiji-Sempai for the reviews.

I would like to thank yuriama sohma for writing this great chapter. I really enjoyed reading it.

* * *

Yuriama: Hey guys! What's up? I've been blessed with the opportunity to write a chapter of this AWESOME story! This is going to be so much fun!

Mysterious Voice: Oh wonderful, you're writing again…

Yuriama: Shut up you, or I'll get Bakura to banish you to the shadow realm!

Mysterious Voice: *Nothing is heard*

Yuriama: That's what I thought. Now, as always, I own nothing except my own Ideas, and, this time, Kiki. Yugioh belongs to Takahashi-sensei and the main plot of this story as well as Joe-Joe and Seth belong to Lily272. Hope you all enjoy! Review if you like!

Kiki's Visit

Kiki sang along with her CD player as she drove through Domino towards the lovely little flat she called home. She was in a really good mood, the meeting she'd had earlier that morning had gone extremely well. Looking at the clock on the dash of her black Jeep she realized it was only just before noon on a Saturday. What fun would going home be? It was such a pretty day too!

"Hmm, quite the dilemma…what to do with the rest of this gloriously pretty day?" she mused to herself. Suddenly the image of a certain hyper little girl with white hair and blue eyes popped into her head. "Ah hah! That's it! I'll see if I can visit Joey and them! I'll probably even get to meet Seth since it's a Saturday!" Quickly she hooked up her Bluetooth and got Joey's number out of her contacts, happy she hadn't let the blonde escape without exchanging numbers first. It rang for a couple minutes before she got an answer.

"Hallo?" Joey asked, picking up.

"Aye, mate. What's up?" Kiki replied, careful to watch for pedestrians as she drove through a rather large intersection in the middle of the city.

"Oh, hey Kiki love. Nothing much, what's going on with you?" Joey said, happy to hear from his old friend so soon.

"Nothing much really. I just got out of a meeting and thought it'd be fun to hang out with you and the kids if that's alright with you? OI! THAT'S JAY-WALKING YOU LITTLE IDGIT! DON'T THINK I DON'T RECOGNIZE YOU REX RAPTOR, I KNOW YOU AREN'T SOME MISGUIDED KID, YOU KNOW BETTER!" Kiki suddenly yelled out her car window, slamming on her breaks as a certain Dinosaur Duelist ran across the road right in front of her. "Ought have run him over I should! Little bastard!" Joey just laughed at her reaction, Kiki really never would change.

"Still have a case of that infamous Irish road-rage that you picked up abroad, eh?" he teased.

"Ah, hush up, he crossed against traffic! Anyways, can I come over? Pretty please with sugar, and cherries, and that brandy you like so much on top?" Kiki begged trying her best to make her voice sound utterly adorable. She was really hoping that she could come over; she'd totally fallen in love with Joe-Joe and could hardly wait to meet Seth. After all, he was the little miracle worker that had gotten her pal's dream to come true! Joey laughed again.

"Sure Kiki, come on over. It's just me and the kids right now anyways." Kiki gave a little squeal of joy, she got to see them!

"Awesome! Can you give me some directions then? I'm downtown, just south of the Kaiba Corp building." After a few simple directions Kiki hung up and adjusted her coursed towards the Kaiba Mansion. Twenty or so minutes later she was flying down that ridiculously long drive way singing 'She's so Kawaii' by the L33t Str33t Boys at the top of her lungs.

"She's so kawaii so I try so hard to make her squee

She's so kawaii can't deny she's the one for me

She's so kawaii in her eyes I see my destiny

Why won't she wake up and notice me

Sou desu ne!"

When she reached the door she was greeted by an over-excited Joe-Joe running out to glomp her.

"YAY! Aunty Kiki is here!" the little girl squealed as Kiki scooped her up into a hug.

"Hey there! Hope you've been a good girl and haven't been running off again." Kiki giggled cuddling Joe-Joe close.

"Hey, careful there, keep acting like that and I may start thinking that you only like me for my kids!" Joey teased as he gave the slightly shorter woman a hug. Kiki laughed and hugged him back.

"Nah, if that was the case I wouldn't bother with ya. I'd just find a way to nab them from ya. After all, I here that they're passing a law to make it legal for singles to adopt and I'm not as daft as I pretend to be." Kiki teased back causing Joe-Joe to squeal and try to wriggle out of her grip.

"NOO! Don't take me away from Daddy and Pappy! I wanna stay with them!" she cried reaching for Joey, she was distressed because she didn't understand that the two grown-ups were only playing.

"Oh dear, me and my big mouth…Here you better take her back Joe. She doesn't seem to like that I was kidding around like that" Kiki sighed, chagrined. She hadn't meant to upset Joe-Joe, she really was only teasing.

"Joe-Joe, Kiki was only teasing. She didn't mean that she'd ever actually take you away from Pappy and me. And anyway, you know Pappy would never let that happen. He'd go all scary Dragon-Man on Kiki and we'd prolly never see her again." Joey said to console the little girl while Kiki smiled and nodded sheepishly. "Anyway, why don't we go inside and find your brother, alright?" Joe-Joe nodded after a moment and wiggled down to go get Seth.

"Sorry about that Joey, I didn't think she believe me" Kiki sighed. Joey just laughed.

"She believes almost everything she hears, which can be a little troublesome. But she'll forget about it pretty soon. Don't you worry she'll be crawling all over you again soon enough love." Joey reassured, her making her smile.

"You always know what to say to cheer me up. Thanks Joey." Kiki replied, leaning up to kiss Joey's cheek as they entered the living room. And when she turned to face the room she found herself receiving a rather angry death glare from Seth. "Oh, um, hey! You must be Seth, I've heard a lot about you. I'm Kitsune Tenshi, but everybody just calls me Kiki." She said holding out a hand for him to shake.

"It's nice to meet you I'm sure, but I must ask that you not kiss my dad." Seth replied coolly. Well, actually it was more like icily….and with that he left the room for a moment. He was sending a text message to Seto about that innocent little kiss Joey was sure.

"You may have to deal with a jealous Dragon soon" Joey warned her in a whisper. Kiki gave him a devious grin that Joey recognized from their days in Ireland, and he wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not.

"Bring it on; I'm up to the challenge. It should be fun" She said. Sometimes Joey thought that she might be crazier than Malik, Marik, and Bakura put together.

"Right, why don't we head out to the garden? It's a really pretty day." Joey asked and Kiki nodded. So they collected up the kiddos and headed out back. For the next half or so Kiki and Joey watched Joe-Joe and Seth play in the garden while they exchanged stories of what had happened to them during the last few years, Kiki laughing at the stories of how Joey had managed to get jobs in countries where he couldn't speak a word of the language.

"Wow, how did THAT work? I mean, how did you kick people out as a bouncer if you couldn't even say anything to them? You're hopeless!" she laughed. Suddenly her cell went off. "Huh, oops, I gotta take this, it's from work." Kiki said picking up. "Hello? Yeah, it's me Randall. What? No! The title stays. I don't care what you think; I didn't write it for YOU Randall. You're a little outside the target audience for my stuff. Kids will love that title; it'll get the interested in it! So yeah, no dice. Oh really? If you feel that way I can take my stuff elsewhere. That Charletaine woman's been bugging me for months to come over to them. Yeah, that's what I thought Randall. I'll talk to you some other time, I'm visiting a friend right now." And with that she hung up and turned to face a confused Joey. "Sorry about that pal, where were we?"

"I think you were about to tell me what you're doing for a living now, since apparently you're no longer a bartender?" Joey asked quirking an eyebrow. Kiki scratched the back of her head.

"Heh, ya caught me. Guess you're not the only one who followed their muse. I write children's books these days. I'm not very popular yet, but then again I only have two books out at the moment. My penname's Angel Fox, I've written 'Time to Wake up Little Dragon' and 'Sixteen Short New Fairy Tales for Bedtime'. Not much of a comparison for the great Blue Eyes, huh?" Kiki said sheepishly. Her friend was writing these awesome really popular novels and she was writing picture books…Well, there was her secret project but that wouldn't be finished for months at least…Joey looked at her and smiled.

"Hey, I can see you putting yourself down in your head. Knock it off. I think it's awesome that you write kid's stuff, the world needs more kid-friendly things anyways. And I could use some new stuff for Joe-Joe's bedtime anyways. I may have to go to the book store soon." Kiki perked up quite a bit at that.

"No need! I have a copy of each book in the Jeep! I'll be right back!" she cried before scrambling off around the side of the house to the drive way. When she came back she was carrying two slim books with brightly colored covers and wearing that devious grin again. "We'll soon have company; I saw a limo on its way down the driveway." She said as she set down the books and scribbled a message in Sharpie inside each cover. When Joey picked them up and looked it said 'To my favorite little family of readers, let nothing stop your imaginations! Love Angel Fox' and 'Wake up and soar with the dragons Little One, Love Angel Fox'. These messages made Joey smile and he almost didn't notice the brunette woman scooting closer to him on the bench they were sitting on. But the CEO who'd just entered the garden certainly did, even as he bent to pick up the little girl who ran to him screeching "Pappy, Pappy, Aunty Kiki came to see us!" followed closely by her brother.

"Huh? Oh, hey Seto. Welcome home. You're early" Joey said, as if he didn't know why his Dragon was there.

"I finished early." Was all Seto said as he glared at the woman that if she was any closer would be sitting in his husband's lap.

"Hello Seto, good to see you again" Kiki practically purred. After all, Seto maybe a crafty, jealous dragon, and Joey a loyal, naïve dog, but she was a sly fox and she was going to use that to her advantage.

"Hey, Aunty Kiki, didn't you say you'd tell us stories about Daddy?" Joe-Joe suddenly piped up and that gave Kiki a MARVELOUS idea.

"Of course I'll tell you stories. Your Daddy and I used to get into so much trouble back in Ireland it wasn't even funny. Except, you know, it was. I remember this one time, I was tending bar at the pub I worked in back then, Seamus O'Flannigan's it was called. The place was pretty dead at the time and then Joey here ran in wearing the most adorable little dress and-" she was suddenly cut off by two very different voices.

"Daddy wore a dress?" Joe-Joe cried out in utter delight while Joey protested.

"Don't tell them THAT story!" he yelped. Kiki smiled at him innocently.

"But I already started, I can't stop now" she replied and continued the story of how they'd had to run half way across the town through alleys and unlit back roads to get Joey some clothes while trying not to be seen. This launched into many other stories including a supposed leprechaun, a Banshee, and what Kiki tactfully referred to as a case of the 'Pink Elephants'. All of these contained some instance or another in which Kiki and Joey had been in close proximity or in an extremely intimate situation, which appeared to be extremely irritating to Seto. Especially since he hadn't heard most of these stories before. Why had Joey been keeping these from him? And what right did this woman have to be so close to HIS Joey?

"Oh, but that isn't even my favorite! My favorite would have to be that time my flatmate, Ella, handcuffed us together for an entire day because she thought we might make an interesting couple. We had to go absolutely everywhere together, even the loo!" Kiki giggled.

"Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about that! Guess that means that kind of thing's happened to me five times instead of four." Joey laughed.

Seto had heard enough. Turning to Seth he said "Why don't you take your sister inside to get a snack?" Seth nodded, he could tell that his Paps was angry and didn't want to expose Joe-Joe to that. Both Kiki and Joey looked up in surprise, what was going on?

Once the children were gone Seto turn a full scale 'Kaiba Death Glare' onto Kiki. "Get up, now." He commanded. Kiki just cocked an eyebrow at him.

"And if I don't?" she asked. She wanted to see just how for Seto would go in front of Joey, would he threaten her?

"Then I will personally remove you from the grounds. Get up." Kiki's eyes sparkled, oh, she'd gotten him PISSED, she could tell.

"What's wrong Seto; you're not jealous of one of his old friends are you? Jealous of all the good memories we've made together? Come on, lay it on me, I'm a big girl." Seto couldn't stand her cocky attitude anymore. He lost his cool completely.

"GET AWAY FROM MY HUSBAND! THIS IS MY HOUSE AND YOU'LL DO AS I SAY, I DON'T CARE IF YOU MET JOEY IN TIMBUKTU I WANT YOU TO LEAVE AND NOT COME AROUND HERE AGAIN! YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE SOME SORT OF ROMANTIC INTEREST IN MY HUSBAND AND I WILL NOT TOLERATE IT!" He yelled at her. She sat calmly through this rant despite the violent gestures being directed at her and when he was finished she smiled.

"Yes, well, I suppose you have every right to feel that way Dragon. Especially since Joey here is so irresistible to so many people. But one little thing, maybe my coming to visit him is just my way of getting to see your sexy ass up close, hmm?" she purred at him. Seto's reaction was priceless. His face drained of all colour very quickly only for him to flush bright red across his nose and cheek bones almost immediately as he opened and closed his mouth apparently unable to find the words to form a response.

"I-I-I-" he stammered making both Joey and Kiki laugh.

"Oh my Otaku, I did it! I left Seto Kaiba speechless!" Kiki howled while Joey doubled over laughing.

"Kitsune Tenshi you are one dangerous role play addict! You played that off perfectly! If I hadn't already known you were dating your grade school best friend Umehito I would have totally believed you were interested in Seto!" he cried. Seto felt like a fool, they'd been toying with him!

"Yah, well, I also took drama in school and at Uni so I should be able to act! Anyways, no hard feelings, right Seto? I'd hate to be banned from visiting Joey and the kids. I adore Joe-Joe and while Seth didn't talk to me much I can tell he's a sweet kid and would love to get to know him better. Please, I didn't mean any harm." Kiki implored Seto, her eyes showing that she genuinely meant what she said and that it had all been harmless fun. He sighed.

"I suppose you can continue visiting, just don't ever do that again. And Joey, tonight you're going to tell me every story about the past few years that you can think of. No more surprises like that one." Both nodded and accepted the conditions.

"By the way Seto, neither of us were interested in each other. I was too busy to date and Joey here used to come into the pub and get wasted then cry to me about how much he loved you but you hated him and all that. So we just put up with being handcuffed until my buddy Sean picked the locks for us." Kiki said just to make sure Seto understood she and Joey were only friends.

After that they all goofed off until nightfall. That is, Joey, Kiki, and Joe-Joe goofed off playing a game Kiki called Celtic Warriors while Seto watched and Seth read a book. Then, when it was time for Joe-Joe to go to bed she got a brand new story read to her from her new story book by the Authoress herself. Once Joe-Joe was asleep Kiki said her good-byes saying she needed to get home and feed the cat before Umehito got there and got upset.

"But I promise, I'll be back soon. You guys are just awesome inspiration. Joe-Joe already gave me an idea for my next kids' book and I also have a secret project that the kids agreed to help me on when Seth and I took Joe-Joe up to bed. So, Ja ne, see you soon!" she called as she got in her car. One thing was certain in Seto's mind, whatever that woman was working on would more than likely make their lives interesting in one way or another.

Later on Joey asked Seth what Kiki had wanted their help with.

"She's writing a novel and wants us to help her with the characters. She said it was about two kids and their parents going on some big adventure." Seth replied.

* * *

Lily272: Thanks again to yuriama sohma.

Also if anyone else has a good idea to put a character, to represent him or herself, into the story-line, let me know and get started writing it. You could be one of Joey's old friends from a former job. You could also be Seto's of Seth new, current or old secretary or work in some department there.

And I update two chapters for this story today. The other one is **Business trip **and it happens before Joe-Joe ran off and bumped into Kiki.


	14. Shadows and Shine

**Authors Note: **Thanks to kitty tokyo uzumaki, Guest and Violet-Eclipse for the reviews.

Now I really hope all of you guys remember the roles everyone had in the story Joe had thought of and Seth had told for her. In case you don't I'll write a little list here since some are important for this and the next chapter.

Joey = Blue eyes white dragon.

Seto = Red eye Black dragon.

Bakura and Ryou = Two shiny fishes.

Marik and Malik = Two Monkeys one with Puppy eye powers.

Yami = A dark magician using shadow powers.

Yugi = Yami's lighter part that keeps him good.

Serenity = A mermaid princess

Mokuba = A raven

Pegasus = A Bunny that overheard Seto and Joey talk to each other and then send them on a long detour to reach their goal.

There where one or two more but those aren't important right now.

**IMPORTANT:** If you haven't read Angelic exams you might want to do that since it's a prequel to Dream Team and the angels from it are mentioned in here as well as some things that happened in Angelic exams. You might be able to get this story without reading Angelic exams but it will be much more fun if you get why Joey things that Mimi is crazy.

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**Shadows and Shine**

"Daddy!" Joe-Joe screamed, "I found a funny bug. What kind is it?"

"I don't know." Joey answered after looking at it.

"Do you, Jay?" Joe-Joe asked her imaginary friend. One of many. Jessie was the one she liked the most since she insisted that it was her very own guardian angel while Jay was her Daddy's little watch dog. She always giggled after calling him that and then said that Jay is funny when he's upset. Sometimes she would talk to Jay about some other angels.

At least she didn't only see monsters in her overactive imagination. Even though those where still there every now and then, especially when it was dark. But the imaginary angel friends weren't always there either. Even Jesse was visiting some other angel at times.

"And does he?" Joey asked Joe-Joe after a moment.

"No." Joe-Joe answered disappointed, "And neither do Jesse, Mimi or Rocco, oh Mimi wants me to say hi to you and asks why you still haven't gotten pappy some glitter card for valentine?"

"Because he would rip it to shreds." Joey answered grinning. Mimi was the most crazy one of her imaginary friends and always wanted Joey to do something totally embarrassing for Seto. All he knew about Rocco was that he was Jay's grumpy angel husband. They weren't always there together, since Rocco was supposedly a love angel and usually gone on a mission. Which was one of the reasons why Jay wasn't around as often as he used to be in the past.

"Mimi said he wouldn't because he's in love, love and everyone in love, simply has to love romantic stuff." Joe-Joe told him.

"Well, he's still a dragon and they don't do glitter." Joey insisted.

"You're a dragon, too." Joe-Joe replied, "And you said you like the glitter on my paintings."

"I do," Joey quickly said, "But only because you gave it to me and you're my little angel. If Seto would give me something glittery, I'd have him admitted."

"Admit what?" Joe-Joe asked, not getting what he meant at all.

"Admitted into a mental institution." Joey replied with a wicked grin.

"He hadn't admit you when he got you flowers after Mimi told me to suggest to pick flowers since he wanted to play outside at first." Joe-Joe mumbled before she watched the bug for a while, still not sure what her Daddy meant. She knew that crazy people had to go to a mental institution because everyone wanted to send her monkey unka's and unka Kura there, saying that they're crazy, even though Joe always thought them to be funny. But her Pappy wasn't crazy, so why would her Daddy have him send there for giving him a glittery card? After thinking about it for another while and listening to her 'imaginary friends' she said, "Mimi said you thought Aunty Lila's crazy too."

Joey gave a sigh. He had never heart of an Aunty Lila, meaning she must be another imaginary friend. It was getting heard to keep track of them, at least they had never sat somewhere where he wanted to sit down and also never wanted sweets or other treats yet, that could have gotten troublesome. "How, I've never met Aunty Lila."

Joe-Joe looked confused at him and then asked, "Have you forgotten her? She told you about me and Seth getting you together after you caught the bug that whispered to the bunny."

Now Joey was officially confused. He had no idea what on earth she was talking about, not that this was a first to him since Joe's stories could get pretty crazy. "Oh yeah, right. I remember." Joey lied, worried that she would be disappointed if he didn't understand what she meant.

Joe-Joe looked at him for a moment and then told him completely serious, "Daddy, you shouldn't lie."

"Who said I lied?" Joey asked outraged hoping to cover up his little lie. He just didn't want to disappoint his little girl.

"Mimi does, she knows what you think, and Jay is mad that she told on you and Rocco trying to calm him since it's better if I know, he must know that, he's a love angel. Anyway, Mimi also said that Aunty Lila was looking at the stone dragons. She was waiting to tell the white dragon something she saw. She's a fairy like me."

"When was that and what did I do there?" Joey asked, mostly to humour the girl.

"You caught a bug that was whispering to the bunny." Joe-Joe said again, clearly upset that she had to repeat that.

Seth, who heard everything while reading a book, thought about it for a moment and then asked his Dad, "Did you ever happen to stumble upon someone who was spying on Pap's? Possibly for Pegasus?"

Joey thought about it for a moment until Joe-Joe suddenly said, "After Pappy's laptop got broke because you and Unka Tristan played catch the sponge in school and Mimi made it drop on the laptop."

Joey stared at her and mumbled, "Joe-Joe, that was before you were born, how could you know?" He remembered how Joe-Joe had known something from a story Kitty had told them. A story that, if it was true, could have been about his own former life since Seto's one was mentioned in it. A story where she didn't like the end because he had died. But she head more or less rushed out of the room insisting on getting hot chocolate before that part was told, but she still talked about the end during the Halloween fair.

"She's funny that way isn't she." Seth said dryly. "She sometimes hits right on target with her stories. And since Pegasus was a bunny whenever she talks about a bunny in her stories she means him when talking about bunnies, well, mostly. Unfortunately she sometimes uses the same 'animal' or whatever for two persons, like this Aunty Lila that I've never met is supposed to be a fairy like her. I don't even get why she made herself into a fairy, you and Pap's usually call her sweetheart or angel and Bakura his darling little devil, while the monkeys call her their princess, no one ever called her a fairy, but then again, she just loves mystical stuff."

"Maybe, but now that you mentioned a spy for Pegasus and a girl looking at the dragon statues, and most of all, Mimi dropping the flipping sponge getting me in trouble for which I dearly hope Jay gave her a hell of a time, there was this really crazy girl that talked to me about two lost dragons and two children that were opposites and would help them find each other." Joey mentioned, "Or something along those lines, I don't completely remember what she said. I didn't get it at all, it was totally random and weird."

"You're the heart with love and faith and Pappy's the brain that guides and protects us." Joe-Joe told him. "Mimi doesn't remember the rest anymore either. Neither does Jay."

"And Jesse or Rocco?" Joey asked, now curious how on earth she could have known in the first place.

"Mimi said, Rocco was either hiding from Mimi due to her new mission, or he was with Pappy trying to kill all humans and Jessie wasn't born, she was born with me." Joe-Joe said dryly.

"Just out of curiosity," Joey asked, "Is Rocco by any chance Bakura's guardian angel? He does sound an awful lot like him."

"No," Joe-Joe said laughing, "I told you, he's a love angel. But back then he was a little mad with you and Pappy because you were always fighting. He was supposed to make you fall in love. But three angels turned into demons because of you two being stubborn and he's one of them and Mimi made him fall in love with Jay though and Jay loves him now. Thats how Rocco got all better and makes fun of Pappy and Mimi together with Jay now, he also likes most humans again even though he said he isn't as naive as Mimi."

Joey watched her for a moment and then looked at Seth, "Do I have to get that? I mean, I thought this Rocco is an angel and not a demon. How can anyone just switch between being one or the other?"

"Nope, I don't always understand her when she talks about angels, dragons and bunnies either." Seth answered, "And I don't know how she sometimes hits right on target but sometimes she does, a lucky guess I assume. Even though she never seems to know the names until she meets them or someone tells her a name that might fit. Like with the Monkey Unka's and the Pegasus Bunny in the dragon tale. She needed help for the naming. But why do you even want to know? It's not like it's anything but a lucky guess, she knows people and can emphasis with them well once she sees them but that's about all. The rest is nothing but luck and a lot interpretation, mostly it fits more or less and the rest is interpreted to fit."

"How does she know Aunty Lila's name then?" Joey asked. "I mean, if she didn't know the other names, she never met her."

"Mimi and Jay met her with you Daddy," Joe-Joe answered, "She talked to them when looking past you and they knew her name from her thoughts." Joey watched Joe-Joe, who was looking at the bug again until she suddenly added, looking at Seth, "Jay said Daddy has faith in me. He believes that I have a talent."

Seth looked at Joey and asked, "Do I have to remind you too that seeing the future or something along those lines is impossible?"

"If you think it impossible, why do you consider reminding me? And anyway, a lot of things are impossible," Joey replied to him, "And yet I've seen them happening."

"Like what?" Seth asked doubtfully.

"Your uncle Yami for starters, he wasn't born, well not in this time, he was a spirit that shared a body with Yugi at the start and much later he was supposed to move on to the afterlife but he didn't want to leave Yugi and returned instead, somehow getting his own body, haven't I told you before?" Joey explained to Seth, not for the first time.

"Yeah, right Yami was a spirit." Seth replied rolling his eyes. "Or so you keep on saying."

"It's true, you can ask your pap's." Joey insisted but Seth looked at him doubtfully, while Joe-Joe was busy searching for other bugs. Seto had indeed already told him once that even he couldn't find another explanation for a lot of things that he had whiteness happening, like losing his own soul to Pegasus once, but Seth still believed all that to be scary stories.

"Whatever," Joey suddenly announced feeling feed up with such a complicated and confusing discussion, especially since he had it with two kids. "How about we go into town and have some ice cream?" He was curious if Joe-Joe had a strange way of seeing things that are about to happen just set in a strange fantasy setting, like a symbol for everything. It would explain how she knew the end of the story Kitty had once told them about a Greek oracle that looked just like Joey. But there was no point in discussing this with a child that didn't understand what she saw herself more often than not and another child that didn't believe in it and was sure that all of it was just a lucky guess. He would try and talk to Yami about it, maybe he knew something about this.

"Yeah, Ice cream." Joe-Joe cheered happily and they all left for a little café in the centre of Domino City. Once there they could sit outside in the shade and enjoy the beautiful and warm day. Joe-Joe loved this place especially, she always wanted to go there and always was a little disappointed when they had to head home.

Today was the same, she was excited and asked for what felt like every second, "How much longer 'til we're there?"

In the end Joey started playing a game he could do while driving the car. He said a colour and Joe-Joe had to think about something that had said colour before Joey would say the next colour. That went on until Joe-Joe couldn't think of anything with the colour Joey said. Of course she could say everything only once, otherwise it would be much too easy.

"Blue." Joey said driving the car.

"My new white dress." Joe-Joe said so fast that she couldn't have been thinking about it.

"That's white." Joey pointed out. "Like you said, your **white** dress.

"Was white." Joe-Joe replied and Seth added, "Last weekend at Yugi's she got some blue angel ice cream on it."

"Do you have a dress that doesn't have a stain in case we go out with Pappy this weekend?" Joey asked.

Joe-Joe thought about it for a while and then said, "I think the pink Tinkerbell one is fine."

"Whatever." Joey mumbled and made a mental note to look through her clothes before she would need a clean dress. "Purple."

"Aunty Lila." Joe-Joe said once again without thinking.

Joey thought about it for a moment. "I don't think the little girl back then had anything purple on her and clothes don't count anyway, otherwise you could say some name whenever you can't think of something. You know that."

"But her fairy wings are purple. Mine are blue." Joe-Joe insisted. "And she can't change them, well sometimes someone does but I just know one."

"Now I'm sure that you're making things up." Joey said, "She didn't have any wings, never mind purple ones."

"She has them when I see her as a fairy." Joe-Joe insisted, "Just like the Pegasus bunny is white with one blue and one golden eye. And Seth is a big white and black dragon, all scary and he scares all the bad things away. And Marik and Malik are funny, blond monkeys one a bit more shaggy and…"

"I get it. All right I'll let it count." Joey gave in while parking the car. "But we'll have to pause the game, since we'll be busy eating ice cream soon. Lets see what you'll have." Joey had to hold on to Joe-Joe's hand to stop her from running across the parking lot and towards the café. He didn't want to risk her getting run over by an un-careful driver looking for a parking space.

"I want a Pinocchio ice and Aunty Lila likes a strawberry cup." Joe-Joe said right after sitting down, not needing to look into the menu. She knew it by heart anyway.

"You won't get two, no matter how many friends are here." Joey answered, and here he had been happy about her friends not demanding anything not too long ago, but maybe this Mimi had given her that hint right after that, "Unless I can see them, I don't pay for them."

"If you see her," Joe-Joe asked," Will you buy her a strawberry cup?"

"Sure, sure." Joey answered looking through the menu.

"Thanks a lot for the invitation." A shy voice from behind Joey said and he looked around surprised to see a young woman with long black hair, dressed in much too big black pants and a huge black coat. She also had a black hat on her head with a single white rose on it. And was carrying a gray violin case in her hand, well maybe it was black once upon a time. Her face was as white as the rose and her eyes nearly as dark as her hair. There was a tiny bit of pink on her cheeks, just enough to stop Joey from assuming her to faint any second. Her big eyes looked at him sadly from under her long eye lashes. She looked like she couldn't possibly be in her twenties yet and not much older then 16 or 17 maybe, if she looked younger than she was, she might be 18 or 19. "I see you've found the other dragon once the darkness was gone and that he is doing well."

He stared at her and recognized the odd little girl that he had thought must be short a few marbles, if she had any at all. "Please tell me that you're not really named Lila." He said, hoping that Joe really just had a couple of lucky guesses and not some strange visions that might show her scary things at times or some angels including a former demon chatting to her. But he feared that this girl really was named Lila and Joe-Joe had a strange gift to see things that are happening and maybe even what still was to happen.

"Okay," The young woman, that wasn't much more than a girl really, answered, "I'm not named Lila."

"Are ya saying that just to make me happy or are ya really not named Lila?" Joey asked suspicious. The way she looked at him and the way she spoke, it was nearly impossible to say if she was serious or not.

"I would never lie. My name is Lilac." She said calmly, "And even though some people call me Lila, it isn't really my name." Lilac looked behind Joe-Joe towards Mimi and added, "Hallo little angel, I hope the vision was a little helpful at least."

Joey stared as did Seth before the boy looked towards his sister, who looked to the same place as Lilac like both where listening to something neither of the males could see or hear. "You know, this really is getting strange, how did you know her name?" Seth asked his sister right after Joe-Joe had told the unseen thing that it didn't matter that she only got it after the dragons had found each other, as long as they got together.

"I told you, I saw her as a fairy and Mimi told me her name, and I knew it's her when she walked over here from behind Daddy, even though she really doesn't have purple wings now." Joe-Joe explained to her brother.

"You can just see them in shiny space, my little blue fairy girl." Lila told her, "You can glimpse into it in your dreams and sense other things when you're awake because you're connected to it."

"What on earth is shiny space?" Joey asked the more mature one of the strange girls. Hoping to finally get an answer that actually made some sense.

She looked at him for a moment still with sad eyes and then asked, "Have you ever heard about a balance in this world?"

"Sort of," Joey answered, "But I think ya lost me already."

"You've travelled the shadow realm yourself, haven't you?" Lila stated more than she asked, "This world is in between them, in between the shadow realm and the shiny space. The shadow realm and the shiny space are contradicting each other to keep this world in balance. Most of the time anyway."

"What do you mean with most of the time?" Joey asked.

"The existence of the Millennium items disrupted the balance since it granted shadow powers of some people and increased others powers. Some have learned to use them so well that they can still tap into them like a monkey and a magician, they used it to fight a snake that was born with those powers and increased it with a stolen item."

"He isn't a snake," Joe-Joe said with a pout coursing Lilac to look at her confused, "He's a shiny fish, I don't want him to be an evil snake."

"I'm sorry," Lilac replied, "I forgot that you know all three, and of course he did change a little again, now that he's with a shiny fish who keeps him a little more balanced. But he is still a snake now, which doesn't mean he's evil, every animal is important for the balance. And I thought you liked snakes and spiders."

"I do but he has to be like Unka Ryou." Joe insisted, "Yami and Yugi both are magicians and Marik and Malik both are monkeys."

"Hold on." Joey said, interrupting the discussion about whether or not Bakura was a snake, at least he assumed it to be Bakura if he interpreted their discussion correctly. "So you're telling me there's a shiny space too? How does that work? I mean the Millennium items made the shadow realm that traps souls so what caused this shiny world? And what does it do?"

"You misunderstood." Lila answered while sitting down, "And firstly, both worlds do many things and it's hard to explain them all in detail. But for now, how about you order the ice first and we'll talk after that?"

In that exact moment a waitress showed up and asked what they wanted to order which caused Joe-Joe to cheer, "Wow you knew when! I never know when! I just know that and sometimes where, but even where I don't know all the time."

"I didn't used to know when." Lilac explained to her, "You'll learn the when in time, and at least you know where sometimes already. It took me a while to learn that too, the first time I did, I was much older than you are now."

"You're the first where, I knew all along that I'll meet you here with Daddy and Seth. I knew it since I saw this where. And I know you'll meet pappy where you'll fly with the birds after one of them falls out of their nest but I don't know where that where is."

The waitress looked confused for a moment and Seth quickly gave their orders apart from Joey's who added his own right after that. Both of them wanted the waitress to be gone before she would call some nice guys with lovely jackets to bring them to a mental institution. Once the waitress was gone, Seth was the one to remind Lilac that she still needed to clarify a few things to them.

"The shadow realm and the shiny space exist since the dawn of time and before. This world was born from equal parts of both at the edge is where they meet. There always were people who could tap into one of them giving them different powers. But when the Millennium items were created, some of the shadow powers were pulled towards a couple of people in this world, bringing the world out of balance a little. It wasn't too bad, since most of the people using the items and the shadow powers were good and due to that they used it for good things. The shadow powers might be intended for darkness and the shiny powers for light, but it depends on the one using it where it goes and the ones that had drawn them from the items mostly had a good heart. Well apart from a few like the monkey that managed to create a second monkey, a part of himself to which he still longs to be close to. The other part now has the shadow powers, since it was born from those powers he too can still use them, just like the most powerful one of those who got them from the items, the purple magician, but maybe I should call him dark magician since that's what you call him in your card game, isn't it? And there's the snake of course who did a few bad things out of anger but even he isn't really evil."

"You clearly never met Bakura, he really is evil." Seth mumbled, while Joey was still trying to figure out what exactly Lilac had just explained to him. Joe looked upset at Seth for a moment until her brother added for her benefit, "He sometimes talks about doing evil things but he isn't too bad really."

"He did evil things I know, but he never was truly evil, like I told you. But he is different then the others anyway, since he was born with shadow powers." Lilac reminded him on what she had said about the snake.

"My fluffy unka Kura's special." Joe-Joe said. "He was born with shadows."

"Just like your brother." Lilac added, "He has the same power."

"I don't." Seth insisted. "I'm smarter than most but that's all. I'm not evil."

"No one is born evil." Lilac explained, "But under normal circumstances the shadows in one's soul can attract negative results, while the shine of one´s soul might attract positive things to happen. That's why most of the time, people with shadow powers turn evil after witnessing and going through a lot of darkness in their life. I think thats what happened to Bakura, he was born with those powers independent from the items. As far as I can tell from what I dream, he has seen some people kill his whole family, his father, his mother and his younger sister, as well as everyone else in his village, that scares a soul deeply and caused him to do a lot of bad things himself, mostly to revenge the loss he had endured, but he wasn't born evil. Since you are with Joe-Joe your powers are in balance with the others and mostly stopping such effects for both sides. That's why it's very common that someone with shine powers is born close to someone with shadow powers. But that doesn't always help."

"You mean Joe-Joe's life would have been nicer if I wasn't around?" Seth concluded unhappy.

"No, my little dragon." Lilac said in the same tone she had used before, "The little fairy loves you more than anything and nothing good could make up for losing you."

Seth considered it for a split second before he asked, "But if I hadn't had shadow powers, then my parents, my real one's, might still be alive and Joe-Joe would be happier too?"

"You will never know for sure, destiny can't always be altered, we might have a choice and can control a lot of things in our lives but we'll never know the big "what would be if"'s in our lives'. And you don't know if her shine could have prevented the accident or your mother's distress, she wasn't even born at the time and her soul was still weak and undefined. Those powers grow with time." Lilac replied, "Don't worry about it, you have a lot of great things in your life, your current family just being one of them and you should be happy about it. Apart from that, if you hadn't had shadow powers, you mightn't have a sister at all, since people with shine powers are often born around those with shadow powers."

In that moment the ice was brought and Joe happily started to eat hers, while Lilac very slowly ate hers still with the same calm but sad look on her face that never truly left. "You said usually good things will happen to those with your kind of power, so why do you always look so sad, and what happened to your parents?" Joey asked, wondering for some time now how those two girls could be so different if they had he same kind of power. Joe-Joe was like the personification of sunshine, always smiling and about as calm as a tornado. Lilac on the other side seemed to be quiet and calm with a sad look on her face. And the part of her that moved the most was her long black hair that was moving with the breeze. Even the way they ate their ice was very different. By the time Lilac had finished the first little bit, which wasn't much more than a quarter of a spoon full, Joe-Joe already had the first stain on her dress, never mind having eaten at least 10 spoon full and probably was close to get brain freeze, if she didn't seem to be immune to that, considering that she always stuffed everything, her ice included.

"It's a long story, maybe two long stories but that doesn't really matter. But like I said, my powers mostly attract good things, but not always and we all have a different personalities anyway, your fairy happens to be a very carefree, happy and playful soul, I'm a little more calm, that's all." Lilac answered in her quiet, serene voice as always.

"She's fine, the monsters are gone." Joe agreed "And Aunty Lila is flying on a gentle breeze, like a real fairy."

"What do you mean?" Seth asked.

"Don't know." Joe answered honestly and looked questioningly towards Lilac, "But that's how I see her."

"I can show you guys." Lilac offered and took the violin case that she had placed next to her chair when she sat down before. She stood up and walked towards the side of the café, nobody seemed to notice her walking over there, nor did anyone even look up when she opened the violin case and got an old looking violin out of it. She moved her hand gently along the violin before she picked up the violin bow. Still no one was looking up from their places like they either couldn't see her or they simply didn't care.

When she sang Joey recognised the song right away as 'The Voice' from Celtic Woman. He had heard it a few times while he lived in Ireland. The second she started to sing the people around her started to quiet down and look towards the young woman who sang. Joey was sure that just like him everyone else was fascinated by her voice. He could nearly picture Lilac as a fairy now, singing and dancing in the moonlight through a thick and misty forest with her violin. Probably followed by a few dozens of male humans who where enchanted by her voice.

About half way through the song Joe started to use the table and her chair as drums and Lilac started to dance between the tables swirling and jumping around, with a small but for once happy smile on her face while doing so. She looked just like a fairy, even without real wings. At some point she suddenly seemed to fly onto the fence that surrounded the outside of the cafe with one fluent and elegant jump just to stand there on the tip of the toes from one of her feet, perfectly in balance and looking like it was the easiest thing in the world, even when she jumped down swirling gracefully though the air again. It truly looked like she must have invisible wings and flew through the air, while she still sang and played the violin with ease, like she didn't even need to think about it. No one spoke even after the last note had ended and it nearly felt like everyone was holding their breath in awe.

Once the first person started to clap her hands everyone else joined into a thunderous applause for the young woman who just stood there silently putting her violin into the empty case. Her face once again showing the sad and calm look Joey had come to know. After Lilac putted the violin safely in her case she grabbed the hat and walked with it in her hand from table to table where she got at least five dollar from each group, mostly more though. Everyone told her how good she was, for which Lilac thanked them politely with a shy little blush before quickly hurrying to the next table.

Once she was done, she returned to Joey and his kids, she put the money away after quickly counting it. While putting her hat back onto her head she said, "That should do for dinner, a bed at a motel and a cheap breakfast."

"Is that how you live?" Joey asked surprised, "Don't you have a home?"

"No," Lilac answered calmly, "But I'm fine this way, I enjoy seeing the world and go wherever the wind takes me." With that she put her hardly touched ice in front of Joe-Joe who had just finished her own and then added, "I think I have to go now. I'm sure our ways will cross again soon, and please give the black dragon my fondest regards. Even though I've never met him personally I'm rather fond of him and grateful for both of you that you take such good care of those special little children. And I'm eager to meet him the next time we'll meet. Goodbye."

Joey watched after her, stunned speechless after seeing such a young woman earning her money in such a way, and then even talking about it like it's the most normal thing in the world. "Hey," he shouted after her while she was already past the last tables of the café and through the gate in the fence, "You should do that professionally, I mean the singing, on a stage and bring out CD's ya know."

"But then it wouldn't be for fun," Lilac answered, looking like she couldn't understand how anyone could even consider singing professionally. "I want to do what I like and go where I please, that's not possible when I have a contract. And anyway, singing would become work and not a passion. I rather walk along the streets from one city to the next and just sing when I either feel like singing or get hungry. But usually I feel like singing long before I become hungry again."

With that she turned and walked away.

"She still should do that professionally, it's a waste not to do that." Joey mumbled after she was gone around a corner.

"But it won't be as good then." Joe-Joe insisted. "If she doesn't do it for fun, the music won't make her shine."

Joey stared at his daughter but then said, "Whatever, you little monkey managed to get a second ice after all, didn't you?"

Joe-Joe grinned at him happily finishing Aunty Lila's ice cream.

"Is that really all you can think about now?" Seth asked stunned.

"No." Joey answered, "But if you two really have some powers, we'll see what happens when it's time and deal with it then, there's no point worrying all the time until then."

Seth still looked worried and asked, "If what she said is right, about us having powers and so on, do you think it wouldn't have been better for Joe to be without me too?"

"I think Lilac was right," Joey answered, "You're her big brother and the scary dragon that makes all the bad things go away, she loves you and needs you more than anything in the world, and like Lilac said, you can't know what would have happened if you weren't around, but one thing I do know, I wouldn't have Seto, right? Or you two for that matter. So I'm happy that things are the way they are."

"Thanks Dad." Seth said with a little smile and finished his ice cream. "But I think we shouldn't tell Paps anything, he won't believe it, I'm not even sure I do."

"I'll talk to him tonight," Joey replied, "He might believe it since he knows about Yami and the whole lot. Or he thinks that I'm too gullible again. But either way, he'll be pissed if he finds out that I met a pretty looking girl and invited her to an ice cream and didn't tell him about it, even if she's way too young for me."

"Is he still mad about Kiki?" Seth asked worried.

"A little upset maybe but not really angry," Joey answered, "I hope he'll never hears another story he doesn't know though."

"Are there stories he doesn't know?" Seth asked surprised.

"Of course there are." Joey replied, "I bet I forgot a few. I mean I've lived in so many places and met so many people, doing so many different things and I'm sorry I didn't write a diary! So sure, I'm bound to have forgotten some things, probably more than I like since I doubt that I could have told him everything in one night, unless I forgot at least half of it, but I'm reasonably sure I thought about everything that could make him jealous, but who knows."

"Then let's hope he won't find out about something before you remember and told him about it." Seth adviced and was sure that his Dad was right. If his Paps would hear about his Dad inviting anyone, no matter if girl or guy, to an ice cream and didn't tell him, he'd be jealous like hell.


	15. Falling Birds

**Authors Note: **Thanks to Violet-Eclipse and kitty tokyo uzumaki for the reviews.

Also I'm going to be gone for a few weeks due to work so please leave me many reviews to answer until then. And now I hope you enjoy this crazy chapter.

* * *

**Falling Birds**

"Of course Seto thought that I was gullible." Joey told his friends.

"Stubborn like always." Yami replied, "I doubt that he'll ever accept anything supernatural in his life easily."

"Considering how long it took him to accept that you've been a sprit, I doubt he'll ever believe in shine space." Joey mumbled. He wasn't too happy about it since he himself truly believed in it now, even though Yami didn't know anything about it either. But how else could Joe-Joe know the name of this strange girl or Lilac have made that prediction about the dragons when she was a little girl? Never mind all the other things Joe had known. The good thing was, Joey also could be reasonable sure that he had a guardian angel around himself just like Joe-Joe had, meaning his little girl had some extra protection.

"You might be right." Yami replied with a smile but then looked worried, "But more importantly, how will we find out more about shine space when no one of us knows anything about it?"

"Honestly," Joey replied, "The best I could come up with was to talk to a fortune teller, since Joe and Lila can do that."

"Do you really think that will work?" Yugi asked sounding worried.

"Considering that most fortune teller are complete fakes," Joey mused, "No not at all. But I have no idea what else I could do."

"Maybe we'll find out something the next time we go to Egypt." Yami said, "Since we knew about the shadow realm in my time as a Pharaoh, the ones after me might have found out something about shine space."

"If that's true," Yugi injected right away, "Why have we never stumbled upon it before? You always keep an eye out for any connection to the shadow realm and since the shadow realm and shine space have to do with each other, I fear we would already know if that would have been the case. Also we still hadn't known that some people didn't need millenniums items and were born with shadow powers, we only found out that shadow games existed and the connections between those, duel monsters, and the shadow realm."

"I know," Yami replied a little upset himself that he hadn't known something this vital. "But like Joey said, what else can we do?"

"Maybe we should ask Bakura?" Yugi suggested. "Lilac said that he was born with those powers as well as that someone with shine powers is usually born around people with shadow powers, maybe he knew someone?"

Joey and Yami stared at him, neither one had thought about Bakura at all but Yugi clearly had a point. "I'll call him." Joey cheered and got his phone out. This was probably a better lead then a bogus fortune teller or some old stone tablets made by people that most likely had no clue about shine space or people with shine powers. "If I'll tell him that it's about Joe he'll be here in a second."

A little while later Bakura stormed through the door of the Kame Game shop where Joey and his friends were and commanded, "Shoot, why might my darling little angel be in trouble? Who dares to threaten her?"

"Calm down." Joey told him, "No one is threatening her."

"But you said that you needed me to come here to keep Joe safe." Bakura insisted, "So what's up?"

"I just need some informations and maybe you can help me with that, since Yami here doesn't have a clue." Joey started to explain. "It's about some strange thing that I heard recently, about some people being born with shadow powers regardless of the millenniums items. And something about a balance in this world.

"You met a fairy?" Bakura asked surprised before he mumbled more to himself, "I guess that Joe really does have shine powers then."

"You knew?" Joey said outraged. "You knew and didn't say a word?"

"Firstly, I didn't know anything, I just noticed the possibility." Bakura replied, "And secondly, if I had told you, it wouldn't have changed a thing."

"What's going to happen?" Joey asked. "I mean Seth has shadow powers and Joe shine powers, what does that mean for them?"

"Easy," Bakura answered, "Both are freaks."

"Wow," Joey complained, "That was about as helpful as asking a bogus fortune teller."

"Want to pick a fight?" Bakura asked angered.

"No, I want some advice on how to help my kids through this." Joey replied.

"Oh that's easy." Bakura answered, "You can't."

Joey just glared at him while Yami tried to defuse the situation a little, "Did you know someone with shine powers?"

Bakura glared at him like he hadn't done since the last battle was over and Bakura had gotten together with Ryou, "Actually, I did." Bakura replied after a little while, "But she was killed along with everyone else in my village."

"What things did you notice with Joe-Joe?" Yugi asked before the two ancient reborn spirits could start a war all over again.

"You remember the dragon story? The one with the dragons who wanted to have a kid and the forest of the puppy eyes and shiny fishes and that rubbish?" Bakura asked them. "There were a few things in there that seemed too close to the truth, especially if you have some inkling on how to interpret such 'fairy stories'. The story seemed to be like a changed version of the future, one that was adapted to what she wanted herself. I doubt that it was the way she had seen something happening but I believe that she put some things she had seen into it."

"Like what?" Joey asked, "I mean I know that she wanted us to be her parents and I bet the twin dragons from that egg where supposed to be Seth and Joe but still."

"I mean much smaller things, much smaller details than that." Bakura answered, "The most obvious one I mean is that the magic Yami had in the story was shadow magic, the same magic he truly has and only someone who is born with either one of the powers knows about the existence of the other, of course the shadow powers got a bit more popular due to the millenniums items but other than who found out about shadow powers due to that, it's still true."

"I noticed that too." Joey replied thoughtful, "But I thought it was just because she wanted the story to be scary and she fears the dark."

"There is more." Bakura answered. "The Pegasus Bunny, and I bet she didn't come up with that name, listened in on Seto, well both of you but let me point out that it includes Seto, and he guided him onto a detour to reach his goal. And now be honest, how often has Pegasus at least tried to do either one of that?"

"I never thought about it but yes he had spied on him before and he tried to take his company, so I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to distract him and point him into the wrong direction a few times." Joey replied still thoughtfully.

"Wait, it gets even more subtle." Bakura said, "Seth once mentioned that Marik and Malik were troublesome since their stunt actually caused you two to get a bit more distant for a moment, didn't the monkeys in the story cause you a delay? Also you had to travel a great dangerous forest, a desert and an ocean, three big things in the way, well lets count, both of you stubbornly refused to admit your feelings to the other, from what Joe told me, you had daddy issues that caused some trouble including you disappearing on them for an evening, and Joey, didn't you also want to cross an ocean to live in Sydney? Well there were little things but I think nothing as major as that or did I miss something?"

"Wow, you're good in noticing such things." Yugi praised him.

"That's nothing." Bakura told him. "Serenity is like a mermaid princess to Joe, since she's important to Joe's Dad but she isn't there all the time, she keeps disappearing from the surface. Also Mokuba is like a watchful raven since he always tries to keep an eye on Seto without meddling too much in his affairs. I don't get how I can be a shiny fish like Ryou but one is lying to get you apart from each other while the other is guiding you, I tried to steal her from you and Ryou stopped me. Sounds fitting, doesn't it?"

"I'm really starting to be impressed." Joey told him open mouthed, there was so much that he hadn't noticed before in just one story.

"There are the things that didn't fit, which is why I never said anything about it." Bakura answered, "Pegasus never died, and, like I said a moment ago, I doubt that anyone could picture me as a shiny fish."

"You're a snake." Joey answered, "That's what Lilac called you. But Joe likes you and doesn't want you to be an evil scary snake."

Bakura watched him and then asked, "Who's Lilac?"

"A girl with shine powers that we met the other day, I mean Seth, Joe-Joe and I." Joey explained, "She told me a little bit about it but I still worry about what will happen with Joe."

"Nothing." Bakura explained. "She'll learn to separate nightmare and vision and interprete them in time. She might learn some other stuff, like my sister learned to bend the wind to her will a little pretty soon. Much sooner than she managed to understand the things she saw. But that would be something only a powerful shiny learns. Well, whatever, I'm just happy that no one else picures me as a shiny fish, a snake is more fitting especially since fairies always see someone with shadow powers as reptiles."

"You mean there really won't be anything bad happening to Joe?" Joey asked.

"As long as the worlds are in balance, definitely not." Bakura answered. "I guess Seth is a reptile too then, probably a sneaky little lizard or a powerful dragon like his parents, and that means that he's born with shadow powers, right?"

"We're dragons, does that mean Seto and I have shadow powers too?" Joey asked surprised.

"No, it doesn't." Bakura answered, "And I doubt that either one of you was born with them. You're just plain old stubborn, well that's not all, but it's just that your souls remind fairies of dragons. And about the kids, as long as they stay close nothing bad will happen. Not as long as they don't separate emotionally. Seth might be able to open gates to the shadow realm and accidentally even start a shadow game if he duels. But Joe should be able to seal them by opening a gate to shine space and neutralizing the two connecting points."  
"How?" Joey asked, "She doesn't seem to know how to use any of her powers, so if Seth really opens something up by accident, how will she be able to close it?"

"She'll just have faith that he'll do it and it will happen automatically." Bakura explained, "Faith is the most important thing for a fairy to control it's power."

"I guess that everyone with shine powers is a fairy then?" Joey asked, "Just like everyone with shadow powers are reptiles?"

"More or less." Bakura agreed, "There are a few fairies that don't have shine powers but yeah, everyone with shine powers is a fairy and if a fairy doesn't have those powers, they call them different. Like fairy princess or wind fairy or whatever."

"And you really think that I don't need to worry about them?" Joey asked.

"I'm not sure about Seth," Bakura answered and actually looked worried now that he knew that Seth had the same powers that he had, as well as a sister much like his own had been that he needed to protect like Bakura had once tried to do and failed, "But I guess they´re okay."

"Why what's with Seth?" Joey asked alarmed.

"Look at me." Bakura replied, "He's got the same powers I had as a kid, and still have. He might turn out just like I do. But then again, he didn't grow up quite the same way I did. He and Joe are much better protected than I was."

Joey still looked worried while Ryou, who had walked in right after Bakura said, "Either way, since the two should be safe and there's nothing more we can do now, how about we do something fun to distract you all a little?"

"Like what?" Yami asked curious, Joey didn't seem to be interested in anything right now.

"I heard that a great and huge circus is in the city, so why not go there with the kids?" Ryou suggested, "I bet Joe would like to see the tigers they have."

"Yeah and if they have a fortune teller, Joey can try to talk to her and see if that's more help than me." Bakura grumbled still a little upset.

"Well sorry for worrying about my kids." Joey mumbled.

"Stop fighting and think about it Joey." Ryou told him, "I bet Joe would really love it and maybe even Seth will find some parts interesting. It's a really big circus with clowns and acrobats as well as magicians. They also have elephants and horses as well as the tigers."

"Sounds like Joe really would love to go there." Joey admitted, "But what if something happens?"

"Ya rather want to lock them up?" Bakura asked. "And don't worry, I doubt Joe could hurt a fly, shine powers or no shine powers, and with Seth, no matter how powerful he might be, he's a kid, if he starts something by accident, I'll be there to stop it."

"You would?" Joey asked doubtfully. He knew that Bakura adored Joe but he wasn't quiet as caring towards her brother whom he saw as nothing other but a miniature priest and he had never been particularly fond of Seto either.

"Of course I would," Bakura insisted and actually sounded like he meant it, "The look of my darling little devil if I wouldn't help her brother would send me over a cliff." Bakura added explaining a lot with that.

Joey watched him for a moment and then said, "You've got a point, I can't lock them up and at least you and Yami will be around there, and since Malik and Marik are helping out in their school there'll be someone with shadow powers there too, just in case. So they really should be safer than you've been."

"So we're all going to the circus?" Ryou asked excited, he really had wanted to go there himself and already was as excited as a child might be but he didn't want to tell anyone, so he had wanted to use Joe and Seth as an excuse to get go there with Bakura.

"One condition." Joey said sounding really serious until he added with a grin, "Try to get Seto to stop thinking that I'm just gullible!"

On that evening they all met in front of a huge circus tent outside of Domino. They had to set everything up outside because there simply wasn't any space for such a big circus group inside of the city. Joey, Seto, the kids as well as Yami and Yugi where still waiting for Bakura and Ryou. Joe was excited already and looked around while Seto held on to her hand tightly to ensure that she couldn't run after something. "Joe, do you want to sit between Daddy and Pappy once Unka Kura and Unka Ryou are there?" Seto asked, hoping to ensure that Joe couldn't disappear that way. Joey and Seth were the only ones he really trusted with minding the little girl especially now where there were so many interesting things walking around. There were juggling clowns close to the entrance and pretty dressed young girls with at least 10 hula hoop's each.

While they all looked along the way where the two missing members of their group should come from someone suddenly spoke to Seto from behind him, "It's so nice to finally meet the black dragon too."

Seto turned around in surprise to see Lilac who was wearing the same clothes she had been wearing the last time Joey saw her. "Who are you?"

"If you'd had faith in your daughter and your husband you'd know." Lilac said confusing Seto temporarily.

It didn't take long though until he got over the initial confusion, "I assume that you're Lilac then."

"Correct." Lilac simply said in the same tone. "And I'm here in the hope that I can give you some faith."

"And how do you believe you can do that?" He asked looking down on her.

"I´ll make a prediction." She replied, "All you have to do in return is pay for an extra ticket for me, to the circus I mean. And don't worry, I don't intend to bother you by sitting close by."

Joey eyed his daughter when Lilac said that, certain that she'd be upset that her Aunty Lila didn't want to sit close to her but Joe just smiled at her.

"Fine," Seto replied, "Let's hear your great prediction."

"The two birds will fall out of their home tonight, but a fairy will save them." Lilac replied.

"That doesn't even make sense." Seto told her.

"But it's true." Joe told her Pappy while being on his arm. "The purple fairy will save the birds that raised her after the monsters disappeared. But they send her to a clown because she didn't sing the same songs they did but the clown was only smiling to them and scary to her so she ran away with the wind."

"That's a nice story about the fairy." Seto replied certain that that's all it was.

"They weren't really monsters though." Lilac told the little girl, "They where sick and that's what changed their souls."

"What can make a soul change?" Joe asked worrying that her parents could get that disease.

"Alcohol and drugs." Lilac replied looking right to the girl, "That's why you should never take drugs or drink too much alcohol, and none while you´re so little."

"But they left right?" Joe wanted to know.

"Yes," Lilac said, "The day I met your Daddy they left. And like I told him, I think they´re with the angels in heaven, they weren't evil after all."

"Jesse said she can't tell me about heaven because she never was there and Mimi isn't allowed to tell me. So how do you know?" Joe questioned her further.

"I have faith." Lilac replied, "But that's over."

"Who was that scary clown?" Joe asked, "He always looked so scary when he was alone with you."

"He's the psychiatrist my adoptive parents sent me to. They were worried because I kept talking about shine space and they believed me to have hallucinations."

"Do you believe me now?" Joey asked Seto.

"She probably hinted things to Joe the last time you saw her." Seto replied. "Some bogus fortune teller manipulating someone's thoughts."

Joey rolled his eyes and gave Lilac some money for a ticket. Once she was gone he looked at Joe and asked, "How comes that you didn't beg her to sit with us?"

"She can't." Joe replied, "She's got to save the birds."

"What birds?" Joey looked confused at Joe.

"The one that raised her and brought her to the clown, the one that's going to slip today." Joe told him.

"You know a when?" Joey asked proud.

"I think, since Lila is here and I don't think I see her befor,e I see her save the bird." Joe replied but sounded like she wasn't really sure.

Seto just gave a sigh and looked at Joey like he wanted to chide him but didn't dare in front of Joe-Joe who would only be upset. Seth on the other hand had listened closely. He wasn't sure if he could believe her but he also had wondered for a while how Joe could have so many lucky guesses, they were much too high to fit into any statistics. But it was so unusual and unrealistic that he found it heard to believe too.

Lilac was just gone when Bakura and Ryou showed up. "You're late," Joe chided while everyone else was still wondering what Lilac's prediction and Joe's comments about Lilac and the birds might be about.

"Sorry, my darling little devil." Bakura replied cheerfully. "But I wanted to…"

"Play." Ryou interrupted with a deep blush before Bakura could say anything too detailed for the innocent little girl. "So what else are we waiting for, because I think we should go inside and try to get some good seats."

"Great idea." Joey said seeing that Joe was struggling to get away from Seto to have a closer look at the clowns and to try to go to the back of the circus to look at the caged animals there.

They all went inside and quickly had found a nice spot to sit. Joe didn't really care who set next to her as long as no grown up was in front of here and blocking her view.

Once the circus director showed up and the show started she cheered with all the other children and truly enjoyed herself. Joey himself was just as amazed by the magician who could make a whole horse disappear. Or the tricks two woman three man and a little girl did on six white horses. Including a pyramid they created on the horses while those where running in a big circle around the circus ring.

Even Seth laughed once or twice while the clowns were on. Joey loved the disco clowns that danced to some music from a little radio driving the circus director who tried to stop them over and over crazy. Of course everything was just show but how they constantly misunderstood his attempts to tell them to stop was just hilarious. Or the little clown who tried to teach his stuffed tiger the trick of jumping through a burning ring using a normal hula hoop. In the end it actually worked. The hula hoop just needed to be really close to the stuffed tiger who got a proper kick in his rear end.

Joe just creamed, "He moved! The tiger moved, that's how I have to teach my dragon." And Joey knew that he would see a white dragon flying through the mansion all the time during the coming days and weeks and was happy that by now there wasn't much breakable stuff in the mansion, Seto had given up on replacing everything Joe broke.

A little later Seto and Joey both grabbed Joe while she tried to get away under the seats before her screaming, "I wanna try." While a tightrope walker was doing a few tricks about 10 meters above ground.

"How about you tart practising at home first, I could get you a low balance beam to practise, that way it won't hurt if you fall." Joey quickly suggested while Seto was pulling the girl onto his lap where she happily stayed since she could see much better from there.

At the end of the show were the trapeze artists. It was a man and a woman who were a good bit older than Joey and Seto. The trapeze was even higher than the rope had been and there was no net, instead there were four trampolines from which both of them got up. The second Seto saw them he held on to Joe a little tighter worried that she would want to try it too once the show started.

The show was amazing since it included a total of six trapezes. Two were a little higher than the others which where all right above one of the trampolins. After a moment Joey noticed that Joe-Joe covered her eyes. "Are you okay sweety?" Joey asked his daughter.

"I'm scared," She mumbled, "I'm afraid that Lila can't help the bird."

"What bird?" Joey asked.

"The woman flying up there. She's going to fall." Joe told him.

"Don't worry," Seto told her, "I'm sure everything will be fine." Right after that Seto looked at Joey like he wanted to say, 'You see what those stories do to her?'

But before Seto actually could say anything a few people in the audience screamed and Joey and Seto looked back up towards the trapeze only to see the woman falling down. She was falling towards one of the trampolines but obviously not close enough to actually reach it. Joey had just noticed that she was falling when he heard the trampoline furthest away diagonally opposite the one the woman was falling towards. Someone had been jumping onto it and after the second jump Joey noticed that the black clothed figure that was now flying towards the falling woman was none other than Lilac who grabbed the woman. The force from Lilac's jump was just enough to let the two females reach the trampoline on the other side. The woman as stared at Lilac like everyone else while the man who was still on the trapeze had climbed up and was sitting on it now staring down. Lilac jumped a few more times before she flew back to the trampoline she had started on with a stretched flip combined with a vertical spin. She landed perfectly on the trampoline did a little jump before she did a flip that brought her back into the audience without hurting anyone. "Wait Lila." The woman that was still on the trampoline after being saved screamed but Lilac started to run and soon disappeared in the surprised crowed and Joey was reasonably certain that she would be gone within seconds.

"That was strange." Ryou said. He and Bakura had been sitting with Yami and Yugi in the row behind them.

Joey turned to look at him and noticed him staring towards the exit instead of the place where Lilac had disappeared. "What do you mean, because I find a few things strange myself."

"Bakura mumbled Jasmine when he saw that girl saving the woman and he was out of here before this girl even went back towards the other trampoline." Ryou replied.

"Strange." Joey mused and looked at Joe for a moment who was clapping and bouncing on Seto's lap. "Joe-Joe sweetheart, did Unka Kura know Lila?"

Joe looked at her Daddy in surprise and told him, "No. But he knew the fairy with the purple wings."

"I thought Lila has purple wings." Joey asked confused.

"Yes," Joe-Joe answered, "but she wasn't Lila when she was with Unka Kura."

"I don't get it." Joey admitted, "Could you try to explain it to me?"

Joe thought about it for a moment and looked a little above him before she said, "She had different parents when she met Unka Kura. Some people took her away from Unka Kura and made him into a snake and she was gone until she came back to different parents."

"She was reborn." Joey mumbled to himself before he asked Joe-Joe, "Before Unka Kura became a snake and still was with his fairy, who was this fairy to him? A friend or something?"

"No she was his baby sister." Joe replied and everyone else stared at her. "I think Lila knows that, she said it might be two stories why she was sad, one might be losing her brother, but it could be having monsters for parents…I mean sick parents, and then being send to a scary clown."

"But I bet Bakura knows," Ryou replied, "I guess that's why he ran off, he'll want to talk to her."

"She knows too." Joe suddenly said with much more certainty in her voice, "Jessie said she meant her sick parents and the clown as one story, since it's one life, and losing Unka Kura as another story, since it's another life."

"Does Jessie know why she didn't try to talk to him?" Ryou asked worried, "I mean if she knew about him, why didn't she try to find him?"

"I don't know," Joe answered, "And Jessie left to find Lila and Unka Kura for me. But can I ask you something, Unka Ryou?"

"Of course, everything you want." Ryou told her surprised.

"What do you always play with Unka Kura?" Joe asked curious, "The angels always laugh when you say that you´re late because he wanted to play."

Ryou blushed even more than he had before while Yami and Yugi started to snicker a little. "I assume that since Unka Kura isn't always well behaved that they play something that isn't allowed to do like using the bed as a trampoline or something like that."

"Yes." Ryou quickly agreed happy for the helpful remark of Seth. "He loves to do that and I always try to stop him but, well he's very persuasive."

"I bet it's easy for him to persuade you to jump around on the bed." Yami chuckled.

"Well as long as they don't jump on our beds I don't care," Seto replied, "But how about we stop talking about that and you guys bring Joe home, I need to have a little chat with someone first."

Joey looked at Seto, who stared at the woman who had called out Lilacs name and clearly wanted her to stay, and then took Joe, answering, "I guess we really should go, it's late and I'm sure we'll see Unka Kura soon to talk with him about Lilac."

"I've got a better idea." Yugi suggested," We walk around a little with Joe-Joe and see if we can spot a tiger or a clown or something and you'll two talk to whoever you want to talk to."

"Thanks Yug'." Joey said and left Joe-Joe in his care.

"Please keep an eye on things for a moment." Seto told his son before he left with Joey.

They walked towards the back of the huge circus tent until one of the artists stopped them saying that the area behind was off limit for visitors. "We're not visitors." Seto explained to the man, "At least not only, we know Lilac and would like to talk to that woman who obviously knows her as well. We need to ask her a few questions about Lilac."

The man looked like he didn't really trust him, "What kind of questions?"

"Like since when she's living on the streets and how old she is." Joey told him, "We'd like to help if we can since our daughter is very fond of her."

"Wait here." He the guy said grumpily. "I see if Johanna wants to talk to you two knuckleheads."

"Did he just call me a knucklehead?" Seto asked, right now even more grumpy than the man had been.

"Chill out would ya." Joey told him, "I heard that such people who keep travelling with a circus or such can be pretty strange, so let him be. We need to speak to some of them. Maybe he just tries to protect the others from something we might do."

"He still should watch his mouth." Seto grumbled.

Soon after that the woman and the man from the trapeaze act came towards them. "You know our daughter?" The woman asked, "Where is she? How is she doing?"

"As far as I know she's doing great. I don't really know where she is though, but one of my friends is looking for her and I'm pretty sure he'll find her. Anyway, I bet that I'll see her again, and will tell her something from you if you want." Joey tried to calm her, "But I'd like to ask you something."

"What is it? If it helps her I'd do anything." The woman said while the man looked a lot more weary.

Seto and Joey looked at each other for a moment before Seto asked, "How old is she and why did she run away?"

"She's 17 now and we don't know why she ran. The psychiatrist thinks that it was due to a psychotic episode." The woman replied.

"Be careful what you tell them." The man mumbled towards her. "Who knows if they really want to help Lilac."

"She helped me once." Joey answered. "Well, I'm not sure if it really helped or would have turned out the same way anyway, but I know for sure that she wanted to help me and she told me things that I needed to know to help and protect our children. I can understand that you worry, but we really want to help you."

The man still looked weary while the woman asked, "Does she still have those awful hallucinations? She kept talking about two dragons getting lost and a demon who might get them apart by saying mean things to one dragon and that another dragon might turn into a snake because he loses his fairy if the other two dragons don't stay together and protect her."

Joey looked towards Seto with look that clearly said, 'And you thought I'm just gullible.'

Seto still looked like he didn't want to believe it but started to find it hard to explain otherwise.

"Did she say something about the psychiatrist?" Joey wanted to know.

"Not directly," Her mother replied, "She just said that if we send her away she might come to a clown who's scary when he's alone with her. But like I said, she was hallucinating. No surprise with what happened to her. I mean her father killed her mother right in front of her and then he pulled the gun on himself."

"Poor girl." Joey mumbled, "I met her once when she was younger, she told me about the dragons too, but it wasn't gibberish to me."

"What do you mean?" The man who must be her adopted father, since the woman had called Lilac her daughter, asked.

"Well, it sort of was gibberish at the time, but later it started to make sense and turned out to be a prediction, just that she doesn't see people in them properly. She sees a symbol for them, as well as for places." Joey tried to explain, "I know it sounds crazy, but my husband and I both are called dragons by many people, including our daughter, and two kids got us together, the same two we adopted. That's what Lilac said would happen to the dragons. That two kids that are opposites would help us and trust me, Seth and Joe might be blood related siblings, but they couldn't be more different."

Both artists looked at him confused but then she said, "You mean she really did meet someone who was cruel to her because we send her away?"

"Maybe," Joey replied and knew that if this would be Joe and he had send her away, he would be devastated, "But Lilac once told me that you'll never know what would have happened, maybe she would have ended up with that person anyway. Either way, you tried to do what's right and I'm sure Lilac knows that."

"She ran away from us though." Her mother mumbled close to tears. "She didn't want to stay here tonight, she ran."

"I'm not sure if it was due to you." Joey tried to reassure her.

"Who then?" Her father asked, "From whom was she running tonight?"

"A friend of us." Joey assumed, "The same friend that is looking for her."

"And you send him after her?" Her father chides, "If she is trying to stay away it's surely for a reason if what you said is true."

"She has a reason I assume," Seto replied, "But I also think that it's better if said person finds her anyway."

"Has she ever talked about a snake?" Joey asked, "Not the one that the dragon might turn into, but someone who already was a snake?"

"She once said that her brother turned from a shiny fish into a snake after she died." Her mother replied, "Which is why I thought it the most ridicules thing she ever said, I mean she's still alive, how can she think that someone already changed into a snake after she died, I mean she never died. Never mind the fact that she's a single child."

Seto and Joey looked towards each other before Joey said, "Bakura was a shiny fish?"

"Who's Bakura?" Lilacs father asked.

"I guess it's going to be a rather long discussion," Joey mussed, "It's getting late though and our children are still small, would you mind visiting us at our home and we'll tell you the rest there? Or we'll meet up here tomorrow if you'd be more comfortable with that?"

The two circus artists looked at one another, obviously they would feel uncomfortable going away from the circus with strangers, but they clearly wanted to know more abut Lilac. "We'll come with you." They decided after a moment and a little while later they all sat at the mansion where Joey explained everything he knew about the shadow realm as well as the spirits he knew. Including Bakura and how he had turned evil after losing everything, including his little sister who apparently was reborn as Lilac.

"If you really see her again, please tell her that we miss her." Lilacs mother told Joey and passed a card with her mobile number to Joey, "And that we're happy that she's alive and well and hope that she'll return to our circus one day. At least for a visit."

"I will, and I will call you as soon as I see her and let you know how she is." Joey reassured her, "And I'll tell Bakura to do the same. I guess he might get to see her sooner."


	16. Secretary

**Authors note 1: **Hey everyone It's Violet-Eclipse, I had the pleasure of co-writing this chapter of Living the Dream with Lilly and had some much fun doing it:). I really hope you guys like me in this story and with some luck i shall be back for others...that is if Seth doesn't fire me, lets hope for the best:). We would like to thank me and (names of people who reviewed last chapter) for reviewing the last chapter.  
**  
Authors note from Lily272 : **I had just as much fun as Violet-Eclipse, maybe even more :P. And I'm sure you're going to love V because I nearly peed my pants from laughing way too hard because of him! And V really doesn't need to fear Seth, he'll never fire him. But Seto might use it if Seth ever gets sick and can't protect him... but then again, Joey is still around to put Seto on a leash...and if you think that should be the other way around, let me tell you that this chapter will open your eyes to reality.

And thanks to V and Kitty for the reviews (I'm not going to write your full name. I guess I know you two so well now that it's fine right?) And to everyone else...please give me some reviews for my co writer I really don't get why Living the Dream gets so little reviews. I have so many awesome writers working with me or for me on the chapters. So please review all the chapters if you read the story, not for me, but for my author friends (aren't I'm totally unselfish...well or not...I want reviews tooo *cry*) oh well if you don't want to review, at least enjoy reading this please and just have a laugh.

* * *

**Secretary.**

"Please tell me that you didn't fire your secretary again." Seto said meeting his son in the elevator after he returned from a business meeting. He had heard about it from the girl at the reception desk.

"I could just leave out the subject, but to tell you I didn't fire her would be a lie." Seth said with a calm look on his face. He really was pissed off by her but as usual his poker face was perfect.

"Why did you do it this time?" Seto asked and started to walk towards his own office.

"She called me kiddo." Seth answered completely serious while following him.

"Joey does that all the time." Seto pointed out.

"I know," Seth said, "But he's my dad and not a subordinate. I won't allow anyone but dad to call me kiddo."

Seto gave a sigh and said after reaching his office and walking towards his chair where he set down, "Fine I find a new one for you."

"I don't really need one." Seth insisted sitting down on the chair opposite of him. "I can manage to do her jobs as well as mine since you refuse to really give me enough."

"If I give you more Joey will be a black widower." Seto pointed out. "You know that he hates the fact that you're already working at all."

"Don't worry," Seth said, "I'll put him on a leash."

"You really think you can do that?" Seto asked his son

Seth was about to say of course but then he rethought it for a moment. His father wasn't as wild as his sister anymore since he was more mature and could control his energy, but he still had all that energy and even Joe-Joe couldn't easily exhaust him. On top of that, Joey really knew what he wanted or didn't want and was extremely stubborn. "I could try," Seth said after a moment, "But no, I doubt that anyone can put him on a leash."

"My point exactly," Seto said, "You're getting a new secretary."

"Well at least it will take some time to find another one; after all you'll need to get a job announcement into the newspaper." Seth said happily.

"Nope," Seto answered and pulled out an envelope. "That one is still from the last announcement where I just picked the first one to reach my desk. I intend to try them all until you find a suitable one."

"It's no surprise they're not suitable if you don't even have them in for an interview." Seth said glaring at Seto a little.

"I did have them in." Seto replied calmly. "At least the first 20 secretaries you burned through. But even I give up at some point. I don't know how to find one that you'll get along with so either you'll find one, or you try them all."

"Whatever." Seth replied, "She's going to be gone in less than 24 hours anyway." After that he stood up before asking, "Is there anything else you need to discuss I have some stuff to do."

"I'd just like you to check the computers of the sales department. They seem to have a bug on it and since you're quiet good in fixing things like that I'd thought I'll leave that to you." Seto replied.

"They got one again?" Seth asked, "What the hell are they doing with their computers? They always get those really nasty bugs that tend to go from one computer to the next within that department."

"I have no idea but if you figure it out, please let me know." Seto replied opening his laptop to get started with his own paperwork.

"I'll get onto that first." Seth replied, "Or else it might spread to other departments."

With that he left. He really didn't get why he had to have a secretary. He really hardly needed one since the only persons to call the phone in his office were Seto, Joey or some of the other departments within the company since they already tend to call him when there is a bug with any of their computers. Well apart from the sales department since it happens so often there that they're getting scared of Seth's wrath, which is especially bad now days for reasons that no one seemed to understand.

Seto on the other hand opened the mail with the application he had gotten out a moment ago. It was only the second one from the last job announcement which wasn't too long ago. He didn't want to waste time with interviews and making new job announcements all the time. He looked at the name and the phone, surprised to see a guy since he hadn't stumbled upon a male secretary before but he hoped that a guy might be more suited to deal with his son so it might actually be a plus. He called in his secretary. "Call him and tell him to start tomorrow. If he can't ask him when he can start but that we'll call him back before that. And bring me a coffee, a really strong coffee." The secretary was out again within a second. Probably because Seto was really upset that no one seemed to manage being his sons subordinate just because he's a little younger than average people in this business.

On the next day one of the two girls working at the reception welcomed the new employee with the words, "Welcome to Kaiba corp. I hope you'll manage to come back tomorrow because then you'll break the record. I doubt that you'll be gone the fastest though; it's hard to get fired faster than within the first hour. I think it was about 40 minutes she managed to stay."

"Nope it was 37." Her college said, "I stopped the time."

"Okay so that's not creepy at all" the boy said rolling his eyes. "So do I get to endure your company for a little while longer or do I get to meet my fabulous employer right away".

One of the girls got up and asked that he follow her. Getting sick of the awkward silence the boy started to talk, "look I'm sorry I acted like such a bitch but I just broke up with my kind-of-boyfriend yesterday and now you're telling me my boss is a total dick…men really suck". The boy said with a sigh.

The woman took pity on him and started talking, "Well I'm supposed to be showing you around but I highly doubt that you'll be around long enough so we really shouldn't bother". One look in to the woman's eyes and the boy could tell that his lye had worked now he was going to do what any normal person would…milk it for all he could get.

"I really would just need to know where the coffee is right. Would you mind being a sweetheart and showing me where those are? A cup would really calm my nerves, it was a hard break up…guys really suck". She gave him a sad smile and lead him there…this was too easy.

When they made it too the kitchen she was about to get a cup for him when he insisted that she'd done enough. He asked her where his boss was and she pointed him in the right direction and he thanked her and asked if she would apologise to the other girl for him, she nodded and left with a smile on her face.

The boy rolled his eyes and walked back into the kitchen. After grabbing a cup of black coffee and tossing a few packets of sugar and cream into his pockets he preceded in the direction she gave him. When made it to the office door and with a "fuck my life" entered the office.

After walking inside he saw a young boy, wearing a black suit with a red tie, sit in front of the computer typing like a pro and his focus wasn't really interrupted but his eyes moved over to the door for a moment without causing his typing to slow down at all. It was quiet for a moment until Seth stopped typing and turned to look at whoever entered his office. He was surprised to see a stranger standing there. His father had mentioned that his new secretary was due to arrive today but this guy didn't exactly look like a secretary so he was probably someone else. Some of his cloths were black but some were way to brightly collared for an average secretary or person. Seth also had never seen a secretary with flip flops before but made a mental note to maybe suggest it to the next one since Joe always wanted to have some too when she came to visit him and saw his secretary with 'pretty shoes'. The school bag that was hanging on one of the guys shoulders was unusual too but then again, seeing him with one of those girly handbags would probably be stranger then this. "I have no idea who you are or what you want but I hope that you at least realize that it's impolite to just enter without knocking?" Seth was annoyed about the interruption since he was currently busy trying to find someone and that was extremely important to him as well as frustrating since he still had zero lead on either of the two people he was trying to find. And the worst thing was, that guy had a coffee in his hand which Seth was in dispread need of since he had worked on his laptop half the night, until his dad had walked into his room sometime past midnight to check on him and stayed for a moment before taking his Laptop with a chuckle. He probably had noticed that it was slightly warm from being used. If this guy was his secretary, that coffee better be on Seth's desk really quick or he would break the record in being kicked out the fastest.

"No wonder you fire so many people, does anyone realise that caffeine withdraw will turn anyone into a total bi-not nice person". The boy with the dark blonde hair brought the cup over to the boy and set it down in front of him before taking a seat in the chair in front of the desk.

"Hey I'm V your new secretary and fellow caffeine addict, It's kind of hard to knock holding coffee" Seth's just stared at the cup for a moment wondering if he had really brought him coffee, but after the sent reached his nose an army couldn't stop him from emptying that cup.

"Whoa slow down there dude, no one's going to take it from you. When was the last time you ate something? You should keep your strength up; you seem to be doing a lot of important stuff here". The bitterness of the coffee made Seth cringe but he was confident that he hid it, until V placed the cream and sugar on the desk. "Wow nice job handling the black coffee, but I think you'll like it better with sugar, I put three in mine" This guy intrigued Seth. He wasn't like anyone Seth's ever met, before Seth could speak again V was searching through his bag and pulled out two sandwiches, two chocolate bars, and a container of cookies.

"You are eating something. You look like you haven't eaten in a day" Seth's looked at the sandwich it did look good but he was hesitant to eat something made by a stranger. "What don't like cheese sandwiches? I can run to the kitchen and make you something else?" Seth decided to eat the sandwich just to keep V quite when he took the first bite he had to admit it was good.

V eyed the boy as he ate the food which he seemed to like. The boy was not what he was expecting but working for this boy was going to be interesting. "So, how about you tell me your name and what I can do for you?" Seth stopped eating a cookie for a moment and remembering his manners he stood up and walked over to V. "Hello, My name is Seth Kaiba, nice to meet you V".

V looked down at the boys extended hand and rolled his eyes and pulled Seth into a hug, "Seth you really are an interesting person I'm going to enjoy working for you. So what do you want me to do first?" The hug startled Seth but only for a moment, V did seem to be the type to just go around and hug people so he would wait and see how bad that got before he makes up his mind if he had to fire him for it or not, "well there's a pile of papers over there that need to be faxed and you have a desk over there or you can sit here if you wish, here's my cell I need you to take all of my calls and deal with them I only want to be bothered by my sister and fathers and here's a PDA for you to keep my Schedule in and I think that's it besides bringing me coffee." V rolled his eyes "don't forget making sure you don't starve yourself". Seth gave V the Kaiba death glare in full force and V just looked at him, "why are we having a staring contest" V asked after a moment. Seth just sighed.

Seth was sure that V would be bored soon but at least it would ensure Seth to have a bit of peace to deal with his search for Bakura and Lilac. He really wanted to help Bakura, he felt like he had to somehow make up for saying so many mean things when by now, he can absolutely understand him. Bakura had watched his own younger sister being killed along with his parents. Seth still remembered how shaken up he was when his mother and father had died. At first he didn't even want to see his sister, he had hated her for hurting their mother after hearing of her death. That was until a nurse had carried her to him. Once she had looked into his eyes and moved a hand a little towards him before she started to cry, he was already starting to like her. But when he held her hand and she stopped crying right away, which is when the nurse said, "She likes you." he was absolutely in love with his baby sister and swore to do everything to make her happy.

Another reason he was searching for Bakura. His sister liked him and missed him a lot. But up to this morning, even Ryou hadn't heard from him and he was Bakura's boyfriend, they lived together and usually, seemed to be conjoined at the hip. Ryou wasn't overly worried about him though, he is certain that Bakura will return once he got this sorted.

Seth didn't have peace for long though. V wasn't even done with the papers that needed to be faxed when the door to the office flew open and a little girl ran in. "Big bro, big bro look, look, look." She said and jumped up and down before Seth wearing a pretty white dress that had a few tiny light blue heats stitched on it at the boarders.

"Pretty." Seth said after a short glance before he looked back to the screen of his laptop. "But make sure not to eat while wearing it or you'll get that stained too."

"I've gotta get it stained." She said, "Then daddy has to buy a new one."

"I heard that." Joey grumbled from the doorway. "Hey kiddo." He said to Seth. "How are things? And most of all, what did you eat for lunch?"

"A cheese sandwich and now please don't smother me so much dad." Seth answered. "I'm fine, just a little board since pap's refuses to give me more work."

"Sure he refuses." Joey replied, "He's smart."

Seth wished that he could just glare at him but he had never been able to do that with his dad. He just loved him too much to glare no matter what so he kept his calm look on his face and asked, "Can I have my laptop back once I'm back home?"

"Nope." Joey answered, "I can't have you stay awake for another night, you're still growing so you'll need your sleep, as well as nutrition's."

"Then I just do overtime, and by the way, I told you that I had a sandwich so no need to worry dad." Seth said and without looking up from his work he added, "Joe, it's really impolite to stare."

Joey looked at his daughter who looked towards Seth after having looked at V for a while now. "How did ya know she stared?" Joey asked, "You didn't even look at her."

"I know my sister." Seth replied.

"Big bro." She asked now, "Why is there a pretty guy where all the pretty girls where."

"Please be polite enough to introduce yourself before you are impolite enough to ask me something about someone right in front of him." Seth told her.

"Oh sorry, I forgot." She said and smiled one of her sun-rivalling smiles at V saying, "Hi, I'm Josephine but everyone calls me Joe-Joe or just Joe, I just got a new dress. Why are you sitting at the pretty girls place?"

"Hey sweetie, I'm V. I just got these knew shoes", V dangled the shoe at the girl. I'm sitting here sweetie because I'm your brother likes pretty boys more than pretty girls and I'm his new best friend". V saw Seths eyes widen.

"I like you." Joe said. "Oh Seth, Since you're hunting Kura, he's still hunting the fairy but he also has a fight with a fox who's sniffing and digging around all the time, he loves to do that."

"You're looking for Bakura?" Joey asked surprised.

"Well," Seth said looking at his laptop. "Since no one else seems to worry about him being missing for over two weeks."

"He's old enough he knows what he's doing." Joey said, "And could you please keep an eye on Joe while I have a word with your pap's."

"Sure." Seth said, "Joe, since V is already dressed so pretty and colourful, why not play makeovers with him."

"I don't have my make up with me." She said and Seth opened a drawer in his desk. He had organized some kids make up just in case not assuming to become a male secretary.

V looked over at Seth and mouthed two can play this game. "Oh! That's sounds like so much fun, but sadly your brother has given me so much work", Joe looked upset for a moment and a little mad at her brother. "Oh, sweetie don't be made I want to help him so he can come home earlier to play with you, he tells me all the time how much he loves spending time with you". Joe light right up at this and V saw Seth smile, "But you know there's something that you can help me with". Joe started jumping up and down getting very excited "can you tell me more about what your brother likes so I can make the right food and stuff for him". The girl nodded happily and began talking.

"Great." Joey said with an angelic smile. "Then I can tell your Pap's to make damn sure that you'll be home on time." And with that Joey was out of the door while Seth just glared at the closed door after him.

Joey walked towards Seto and just stormed into his office like Joe had with Seth and said, "Seto, Seto, Seto…I miss you." And with that he hugged him with a huge grin on his face.

"I miss you too." Seto answered and gave him a long kiss. "How was your day so far?"

"Great." Joey answered, "Especially now after the kiss, but please make sure that Seth doesn't work over time. He said he would."

"Why?" Seto asked, "I swear I didn't give him too much work, he shouldn't need to do that."

"He doesn't need it, he just wants to keep looking for Bakura and I confiscated is laptop because he was on it half the night." Joey explained.

"Since when does he care about that idiot?" Seto asked.

"I guess since he knows that Bakura has lost his kid sister." Joey explained, "I already assumed that he started to understand him better now but I didn't think he'd worry this much."

"Pappy," Joe whined and looked at Seto with puppy eyes after V had brought her into the room. "I wanna go have some ice cream."

"I'm still working princess, how about daddy takes you." Seto asked falling for her eyes right away, but still noticing the odd boy that came in with her.

"All right all right," Joey whined, "I go but only if I get to play with my little dragon tonight." After that he winked at Seto who blushed a little.

"But I need my dragon at night." The girl wined.

"I said, my little dragon." Joey said, "I got my own dragon to play with and he has a little dragon."

"Can I see that?" She asked.

"Nope," Joey answered still smiling, "And trust me, you really don't want to. It's a grown up toy that you'd find boring anyway."

"Like that funny doggy leash I found under your bed?" Joe wondered.

"Exactly like that one." Joey confirmed.

"That was really boring, what's it good for without a doggy?" She asked.

"Your pappy got it so you'll have to ask him." Joey told her and the way he eyed Seto, it was clear that Joey wasn't to happy about it.

"It's to make a physical interaction between two people more stimulating." Seto explained coursing a slight blush on Joey's face.

"Don't get it." Joe said with a pout.

"You'll get it when you're older." Seto simply said without a blush.

"Oh I forgot something." She suddenly said and looked at V who was fighting back giggles . "Tell my big bro to hurry and spend a night with Jaden again. I wanna go too and play with Jojo." She turned back towards Seto and asked, "Pappy? Should I get Seth and Jaden a doggy leash to play with too?"

"No." Both of her fathers said right away while Joey added mainly to distract her. "And now let's go and have some ice and get some for after dinner too. I bet Seth and pappy would love some as well."

"Fine", She said but looked at V who was about to go back to Seth and finish the faxes, "Oh and V, ask Seth if he'll like to have a doggy leash to play with it with Jaden, just to be safe."

V bent down and gave the girl a hug, "Oh! Sweetie I would love to", V said with a smile. Hey looked back to Seto and Joey, "How rude of me I'm V your son's new secretary/best friend". V said as he pulled them both into a hug, "And good luck with your hot kicky sex" he whispered into their ears as he gave them a wink and left the room.

Joey giggled for a moment while Seto glared after V until Joey said towards Seto, "I guess you found the perfect secretary for Seth."

"Why?" Seto asked, "The way he goes around hugging and talking like he doesn't have any idea about appropriate behaviour I assume him to be kicked out within the next hour. Maybe I should already give the next one a call to start tomorrow."

"Why?" Joey asked, "He's fun to be around, and trust me, Seth will love him as a friend. After all, this guy isn't so different from me or would you say that I have much more behaviour as he has."

"You've got a point." Seto mumbled but wasn't sure if he was too happy about it.

"Can we go now daddy?" Joe asked, "I want ice cream."

"Yes we go." Joey said, "But we're so stopping by at the house and get you changed first, this dress stays clean until we go out with pappy again." And then Joey picked her up and gave Seto another short kiss and whispered, "See ya later my dragon."

Walking into Seth's office V sat on the side of the desk and smiled at Seth. Seth glanced at the boy and wondered what he was up to now "I know you don't have everything I asked you done, so why are you sitting here?" V's grin got bigger.

"Well you told me messages from your family were important and that you wanted to hear them…and I have one for you." Seth sighed

Seth stopped his searching and turned to face the other boy. "Well what's the message? Who's it from?" Seth asked hoping it was more work from his pap's.

"Well it's from Joe; she really is a sweet girl. She wants to know if you would like a doggy leash to play with Jaden with." Seth's mask cracked for a second and V knew this boy had a crush, V didn't know what about Seth made him want to help but this boy seemed to need a friend and V was damn well sure going to be there for him…but earning his trust will be the challenge.

"Jaden is just a friend." Seth stated dryly hoping that V hadn't noticed he had a crush on him, but considering his grin, he had. It was sort of the same grin his dad could get whenever he had noticed something after his poker face had cracked for a split second. He gave a sigh and actually had a slight blush on his face as he said, "Whatever, you gave me that message and I'll talk to Joe that I most certainly don't need a doggy leash for Jaden until he gets a doggy so you can continue your work. And please do not tell me how Joe got the idea about a doggy leach; I have a strong feeling that I really don't want to know that."

"Don't worry I'll just ask Joe to tell you that part…its family business anyway" V said giving emphasizing the family part and when Seth's eyes widened in realization he began massaging his temples. "Just a friend, please you face lights up whenever you mention him…even if it is only for a second". Seth seemed hesitant to talk to him so it was time for some of the walls to come down. "Look Seth I just want to be your friend, I know it maybe odd since I'm odder then you but screw it. I just want to help you, see when I was a little older then you I had a crush on my friend and…it didn't end well for me and I really don't want that to happen to you. I just want you to know you can talk to me about anything". Seth sighed

"Just give me details and tell me about him". V asked hopeful that his words were having some effect on the boy, V knew firsthand how much damage not talking can do to someone his age.

"I just like him." Seth answered the blush already gone again and his poker face back in place. "I'm not sure why but he's fun to be around. And as to what he's like, you saw my sister right? Imagine a male version of her with a wicked grin and a lot of trouble in his head. Then you know Jaden. But like I said, he's just a friend. And now please continue your work. I have to find Lilac and Bakura, or at least one of them. I just wish I knew what Joe meant when she said that Bakura is fighting with a fox because she obviously thought it important." Seth mumbled the last part so quietly that it was hardly audible since he mainly said it to himself not expecting V to get it at all, never mind care about it.

"You know that's funny one of my best friends is named Lilac, she's a lot like your sister really into the fairy world and stuff". V noticed Seth's mask almost shatter, "actually there has been this creepy dude following her around that looks like a fox, I told her he's probably some creep that wants to get in her pants". V said with a smirk.

"Is this her?" Seth said showing V the picture of the girl on his laptop he received from her parents.

"Yes, it is. She's okay right" V asked worry lacing his voice.

"Yes, as far as I know. Did she ever mention her brother?" Seth asked eager to learn more about the girl.

"Yes, she did but I can't tell you what she said, I promised her I wouldn't say anything. I never break a friend's promise". V was hoping that little detail helped him earn a few extra awesome points in Seth's eyes.

_He knows Lilac,_ Seth thought unable to believe his luck. _And he even knows a little something about her brother even though she once said to dad that she didn't have a brother as far as I remember. Part of her still sees him as a brother, probably because thank's to her shine powers she does know a little about her past. But why is it such a big secret what she told V about him. Was she upset with him because of what happened to her? Why else would she be running away from him? She must know that Bakura is following her as much as Joe knows it, as well as that he's fighting this fox like guy. It's nice to know that V refuses to give away secrets of his friends, especially since he said he wants to be my friend and there for probably keeps my secrets too, but I really want to know this particular secret. I just hope this fox guy isn't a threat to Lilac, but I assume that Joe would have said something about it to me then, and if Lilac can hide from the thief king himself, this fox probably won't get to her either._

Seth's mind was racing about a million miles an hour with all the thoughts those knew information gave him. "I need to talk to Lilac about her brother." Seth told V and considering how fast his mind worked, V can't have a clue how much just went on inside of his little head. It didn't take more than a split second to think this through, "Do you know how I can find her? It's really urgent since I know her brother rather well and considering what Joe said, he might be in trouble. It might sound strange what those two say but usually there is a hidden massage in it, as you might have noticed if you know Lilac well enough." Part of Seth feared that he can't help him find Lilac since she's always on the move, 'riding the wind', as Joe had once called it, and that for probably hardly ever around, never mind easy to find even for a friend. But what worried Seth the most was that V probably thought it laughable that he took such words of his sister serious. He didn't seem to take the 'fairy world and stuff' too serious. And by now Seth had grown a little found of him, he was the first at work who seemed to take him serious and he didn't really want to lose that.

Seth never ceased to amaze V; the speed his mind worked was crazy. His boss/new awesome best friend was defiantly going to keep life interesting. "Well she doesn't stay in one place, she kind of just shows up whenever I want to spend time with her. I do know some places she might be though". Seth was already up from his desk and heading for the door.

"Well come on we only have a short amount of time before paps comes to check on me, when he knows I'm gone all hells going to break lose". V rolled his eyes and picked up his bag.

"You know the guards aren't just going to let you walk out of here right". V whispered to the boy as they walked through the halls of Kaiba Corp. "So let me do the talking okay?"

Seth nodded even though he was sure he could have come up with something. Seth noticed that the boy's eyes seemed to lose their friendly glow as they approached the guards.

"Hey boys would you mind letting us through? I have strict orders from Mr. Kaiba to bring my boss here out of the building". The guards looked unconvinced, "well you can call him if you like, but I wouldn't want to be the one to disturb him". The guards looked at one another before letting them pass, as V turned around in the elevator he saw the two women he'd spoken to holding a sign that read 'you're at 3 hours' he smiled at them but as soon as the door closed he rolled his eyes.

Once they were in V's car and driving away from Kaiba Corp, Seth began to ask questions. "So where are we going exactly? How long have you known Lilac?"

V smiled at the boy, "Well now look who's all talkative, to answer your questions we are going to this Mexican restaurant that me and Lilac always eat at because I love spicy food and I've known her since four or five year, she's the one who told me to try for the job".

"And you've never broken the promise you made to her in all of that time, not even once?" Seth said looking at the boy who drove a little too fast for his taste.

"Nope, she's an awesome friend I have no need to. It's funny I don't even have her number, she just kind of shows up when I need her, it was a while before she told me about the shiny space and the shadow realm. V glanced over at Seth for a moment and the boy seemed to relax a little but he still kept his mask on.

Seth felt much more relaxed now that he knew that V had some knowledge about shine space and the shadow realm. At least he wouldn't think him crazy and probably still be his friend at least until he found out about his shadow powers. "What does she see you like?" Seth asked, "I mean when she sees you with her shine powers. I'm some sort of a dragon while my sister is a blue fairy."

"Coolness, I'm a leaf dragon, I have a real connection to plants". V said still smiling at the boy "According to Lilac I have shadow powers". Seth wanted to ask him more but they had just pulled up to the restaurant.

When they walked into the restaurant Lilac was nowhere to be seen. "Now what do we do?" Seth asked the frustration showing in his features. "Is there any other place you know where she might show up?"

"Call your sister and ask her if Lilac is anywhere near a leaf dragon and her dragon brother and ask her about the fox and the snake". V said so Seth picked up his phone and called his sister

Seth doubted that it would be helpful since Joe hardly ever knows when something happens. But it was worth a try. Joe didn't have a cell phone yet though he called his dad and asked to talk to Joe who said, "Say hi to Lila."

"How do I do that?" Seth asked. "I have no idea where she is."

"I don't know where she is either." Joe said cheerfully.

"Then how am I supposed to find her and pass that on?" Seth asked.

"Easy." Joe-Joe said still cheerful as ever. "I don't know where you're all are but when you're with the leaf dragon, you know the pretty guy that was sitting where the pretty girls should be, and talking to me on the phone about the purple fairy, which is now, she'll be right behind you."

"Behind me?" He asked and turned around. "Thanks Joe and I'll tell her."

"Fine, oh and say hi to unka Kura later." She said before she ended the call without a proper good bye. Seth just gave a sigh certain that Dad was doing something really nice with her again.

V turned and saw Lilac holding three plates of food and joined her at the table along with Seth. "Awe Lilac you always know what I like, I've missed you girl", Lilac stared at the pair calmly. "I see the leaf dragon has managed to connect with the tormented one, once the bond of trust is formed this relationship will greatly assist in the development of the light and darkness dragon's powers and most of all his happiness." V and Seth just looked at one another.

"What do you mean he can help me?" Seth asked curious.

"Well you both have similar shadow powers." Lilac pointed out with her usual calm but sort of sad expression, just today there also seemed to be a little bit of worry in it. "But that isn't important now is it."

"Right." Seth said. "Do you know what happened with Bakura? He's looking for you and, well why are you hiding from him; he's really worried about you."

"I know." She said with a slightly sadder expression than usual. "I'm just not sure if I'm ready to face him. If I'd been more clearly about what I saw back then he might have been able to protect me or rather run and hide with me. If I only had understood what I saw better I could have protected him from turning into a snake, I could have protected his soul. I don't know how to tell him that I knew that something was coming, just not how to tell him about it. How do I tell him that everything is my fault?"

"Sweetie you were six you couldn't have known what was happening to you or what he was going to do. It's not your fault and he didn't turn out really bad anyway he has someone who loves him and friends who cares how he got there as long as he's here now. You can't change the fact that you lost your chance at a relationship with him years ago but you can have one now, putting it off is the only mistake you have ever made". V said as Seth simply stared, he could hear the wisdom, love, and worry in the boys voice. Maybe he really isn't that bad.

"I agree with V." Seth said, assuming that this was the big secret V had mentioned before. "I mean I have a sister too and I really wouldn't blame her for anything if it were us in that situation. Trust me Bakura loves you and misses you and only wants to apologies to you. He probably blames himself too and I'm sure the thing best for you both is to talk it over."

She thought about it and said, "I don't know. Even I don't know everything but I do know that one of my brothers is in trouble because of me."

"Hold on a second," Seth said, "One of your brothers? You have another one."

"Of course, Bakura is the memory of the brother I had in my former life and then there is the rebirth of the brother I had in my former life." Lilac explained.

"I thought that's Bakura." Seth said and was truly confused. And here he thought he was smart, but somehow he didn't understand at least half of the things that had to do with shine space and shadow realm.

"How do I explain this," Lilac wondered, "You know that Bakura started to show up inside the mind of a shiny fish correct?"

"Ryou, yes." Seth confirmed.

"Bakura wasn't really there apart from inside of his mind at first, with time he got stronger and managed to use the shadow powers he possessed to create a body for himself. Just like the darker magician and the monkey managed to do. They too only existed in the others minds." Lilac continued.

"Yes," Seth said, "But the snake and the magician are ancient spirits while the monkey is an alter ego right?"

"Wrong." Lilac said, "Their all alter egos just one was created out of loneliness and pain while the others were created by a memory of a reborn spirit."

"So you're saying that Ryou is the rebirth of your brother and Yugi the rebirth of Pharaoh Atem while Bakura and Yami are simply personified memories." Seth summed up.

"You really are smart to get it that quickly. I guess that's why Joe really wishes Bakura to be a shiny fish like he's intended to be" Lilac praised. "But we really should go back to the topic. Bakura is in a lot of trouble."

"What kind of trouble is he in?" Seth asked.

"I'm not sure." Lilac answered, "I see him under water but he's still breathing. There is a danger though that he won't do that much longer."

"Can you help us find him there?" Seth asked.

"I don't go close to water and can't see clearly under the surface," She said, "There is no wind under the surface which scares me. I don't even take a bath I just shower to let the wind get through, never mind going close to water."

V giggled and Seth stared up at him with a 'how can you laugh at a time like this' look on his face, getting a okay nod from Lilac V spoke, "A few years ago we were walking through the park and we came to a bridge and I had to carry her over on my shoulders while telling her over and over again that I wouldn't let her go". V said still giggling.

"You have to do that every time she needs to cross a bridge?" Seth asked curious again.

V started actually laughing now, "No now I just have to carry her and bring one of those packet fans and let it blow in her face, it always calms her down". When V managed to stop laughing they began talking again.

"I just wonder how he can be under water but still breathing." Seth wondered when his phone rang.

"Hey Kiddo it's me." His dad said once Seth had picked up. "Joe just told me that I should call you and tell you that the boxed snake is at the dock. I hope that helps she made it sound really urgent."

"It does help." Seth said, "At least a little. Why isn't she phoning herself?"

"We did some painting and now she set's the bathroom under water. I really don't get how she makes it splatter around that much." Joey said, "I mean the whole bathroom is wet, I'm soaked, but the bath is still as full as before it's just strange."

"Could you ask her where at the dock the snake is?" Seth asked and wondered if maybe Joe was as connected to the water as Lilac to the air. It would explain how she had managed to learn swimming the first time she had been at a pool at the age of two. She just jumped into the deep water, scaring the hell out of Seth as well as the minders, and she just swam.

Seth heard Joey ask and his sisters voice mumble in the background, "Hey don't get me all wet here I'm holding a phone and it's going to break." Joey chided her before adding for Seth, "She said he's under the swimming fox."

"Thanks dad, if I need to know more I'll ask." He said and told the other two what Joe had said.

"We're going to need a boat" V said sighing

"Way to state the obvious", Seth said rolling his eyes, V giggled.

Lilac turned to V and gave him an almost hopeful look, "You know what you must do, and freeing my brother would bring me great joy, I really don't want him to get hurt just because I failed him again.". V looked at her.

"You had to bring him up didn't you? But he's such a creep", she gave him her usual calm stare. "Ra the things I do for people! I'm going to have a horrible time". V sighed and picked up his cell phone.

"What was that about", Seth asked looking over at the boy as he talked on the phone, his eyes once again losing their happy glow.

"I'm not at all sure why since I didn't actually mention anyone, but I think he is exchanging an outing with himself for the use of another's vessel". Lilac's voice startled Seth and he stared back at the girl.

"He's going to go on a date with a guy so we can use his boat? He can't be that bad if he's going to do that". Seth mussed while Lilac looked over to V.

"V has gone on an outing before and has described the experience as being horrendous and said the gentleman has similarities to the human anus, even though he didn't quiet use the same words as I just did." Lilac said just before V came back.

"He said we could use it but I have to go out with him tomorrow night, hopefully I'll be able to go ten minutes without wanting to rip his head off, anyway we need to get to the dock before he runs out of air". V said getting his keys out.

The car ride to the docks was quick, everyone was two focused on the task at hand to worry about anything else. When V parked the car he turned around and handed Lilac the fan he carried. "Just in case you wanted to wait closer to the water", Lilac gave V a small smile that didn't manage to diminish the worry in her eyes.

The three of them made it to the boat and V gave Lilac a hug before jumping down and grabbing the spare key to start the boat. "Seth promise me you will not leave that seat, we don't know what this guy is capable of". Seth nodded and they drove off.

There weren't many boats in the water but V knew which one they were looking for. One was slightly bigger than all the others and off to the side not moving he just hoped he could keep Seth safe. "Seth I need you to go hide in the back there and don't come out until I tell you to", Seth was about to speak but did as he was told once he saw the look in V's eyes. He did however check his cell phone reception happy that he could still contact his paps if he needed some back up. Part of him wished he had already done that and he would have if V hadn't been so enthusiastic to organize the boot.

V slowed as he neared the other boat, when Fox Face came out from the cabin he knew he was in the right place. "Hey hot stuff haven't I seen you around before?" V saw the dude get uncomfortable so he had to do this fast.

"I'm dying for something to drink have you got anything on there? I'm just so lonely today, would you like some company?" All the fox could do was nod and V shut off the boat and tied it to the foxes.

"So what's fine guy like you doing out here on your own?" V said as he trailed his fingers along the others arm and down his chest. The fox was speechless.

V slowly pulled something out of his bag and wrapped his arms around the guys neck, "Ra there's been something I've wanted to do to you the moment l saw you" V leaned in and when the fox shut his eyes V shoved the Taser into the fox's neck.

When the foxed dropped down unconscious V grabbed some rope and tied him up. V began searching him for a gun and found it along with a key. V tossed the gun into the water and hopped over into the other boat.

"Seth I have to go in the water to save your friend please don't move until we come back, I promise I'll save him". The boy nodded and V dove in.

Once Seth heard V dive under he got out of hiding to have a really quick look around the foxes boat He took a few pictures of what he saw and returned to his hiding place, stepping onto the hand of the guy on the floor in his hurry. If he'd had more time, he would have turned him around to step on where it really would hurt.

V saw the container after he was under the boat. When he got closer he could see that it had holes in the top so water would slowly fill it up he just hoped this Bakura guy could swim. V swam down and found the door with very little difficulty he opened it and was pushed inside by the water, he saw Bakura slowly sinking to the bottom of the container so he quickly grabbed him.

Swimming to the surface carrying someone is just as hard as it sounds but V managed to do it and when he got Bakura on the boat he checked to see if he was breathing. When he couldn't hear anything he began CPR. After a three breaths Bakura coughed up water and pulled V down for a kiss.

V quickly pulled away but not before sampling Bakura's talents. "Ryou? Whats wrong?" Bakura opened his eyes and looked at V, "Who the fuck are you! And why were you fucking kissing me!" Bakura asked glaring at V

"I'm the fucking person who saved you bloody life you bastered! And I don't know who Ryou is but if that's the way you kiss him, he must miss you". V said giggling

Bakura was about to ask more questions when V spoke again, "Seth you can come out now". Bakura turned around and saw Seth.

"What the hell is the little priest doing here?" Bakura asked.

"The little priest made sure that his little sister could keep her annoying unka Kura." Seth said fighting a blush.

"I thought ya liked this dude too." V asked. "Didn't you say you two where really close?"

"I said I know him rather well and to my misfortune I do. He's an evil moron." Seth answered and blushed slightly and looked away before he added, "But I guess after what happened to his sister I can sort of understand that."

Bakura smiled a little and said, "Well thanks for the help I guess but that's no reason to go all sappy on me little priest."

Both guys looked at each other for a moment and smiled a little, "I still don't like you so." Seth said still smiling.

"Same here." Bakura said with the same smile and both still looked like they actually where rather found of each other.

"Wow I'm really feeling the love", V said rolling his eyes. "I really hate to interrupt your bonding but what are we going to do with fox face here because if he wakes up I'm so not seducing him again". V said pointing to the unconscious man.

Bakura looked up at the other boat and his face got darker by the second while he said, "He dared to try and kill me. I was actually nice enough to just go to the police just so Joe wouldn't wine to me and HE tries to kill ME. I'm going to make him beg me for death."

"You won't." Seth simply stated.

"And why ever not?" Bakura nearly screamed at him. "Give me one got reason not to tear his very soul into tiny little shreds."

"Firstly, I took enough pictures from the boat to let him rot in jail for years, and yes V of course I didn't listen. And Bakura, if that isn't enough, I can give you three more reasons to not go and hurt that guy." Seth said, "Ryou, Joe and Lilac." And while he said the last name Seth pointed towards the dock where their boat had been.

Lilac was still standing really close to the edge of the water, or to be more accurate, she was on the little wooden pier where the boat had been tied up meaning that she was above the water. The fan was in her hand but she didn't really need that right now, the gentle breeze wouldn't have been enough while being this close to such a huge amount of water. But the way her hair was tossed around her made clear that her powers where a little stronger then the fan.

Bakura couldn't see her clearly, which also meant that he couldn't see how badly Lilac was shivering with fear. "That can't be her." He mumbled, "She used to fear water."

"She still does," Seth told him, "But she fears loosing you more." Bakura was about to jump over board and swim to her when Seth said, "The boat is faster then you but if you rather swim after us you're very welcome to do just that." And then he set down and said, "V Please take us back to the shore. We should make sure to return to Kaiba Corp. soon since you still got a large amount of papers that need to be faxed and I need to contact the police." V sighed and started the boat.

Once they were at the shore Bakura grabbed Lilac who was shivering and unable to move an inch due to the fear. Bakura carried her away from the pier and onto solid ground saying, "If you think that I let you get away again you're so wrong, I don't care if you hate me for not protecting you better but I'm not going to let you go again."

"You're sorry?" She asked looking at Bakura slightly confused.

Bakura placed one hand at each side of her head and clsoed his eyes before he said, "You're such a stupid girl. Even if you told me about that monster riding to us with gold I wouldn't have gotten it and tried to get the gold instead of us into safety. It isn't your fault silly billy."

"How did you know all of a sudden?" Seth asked.

"Easy." Bakura said, "Whenever her thoughts are getting to jumpy and she doesn't know how to tell me something I just hold her like I did and focus on her thoughts. I get a few of her thoughts then. I don't do it often though."

"Why not?" Seth asked, he was sure that he'd do it all the time with Joe if he could and would make damn sure to try.

"You know how your sisters room is always a mess right?" Bakura asked, "Try finding something important in it just by standing in the middle and looking around. And now imagine Lilac's head to be even more messy then Joe's room then you probably can guess that I'm just getting a really, really bad headache again."

"Sorry big brother." She said calmly with the same sad expression.

"Whatever, but considering the memories I saw, you can forget about going anywhere. You'll stay with me." Bakura ordered.

"But I want to ride the wind." Lilac said nearly whining.

Bakura just grabbed her ear and pulled coursing Lilac to beg him to stop. "I told you back in the desert and I tell you again I don't give a crap about how much you love your stupid wind you stay with both feet on the ground where I can watch over you got it?"

"I got it, I got it, now please let go." Lilac begged and once Bakura let go of her she actually smile happily towards her overprotective brother. She was happy to see that he wasn't changed that much.

"We should head back." Seth said looking to V.

"Why?" Lilac asked, "Everyone is showing up in a moment."

"What?" Seth asked.

"Oh she saw Joe tell Joey about the call and what you're up to including fighting a fox with the pretty leaf dragon and he called your paps and Yami. Joey dropped of Joe at Yugi's while Ryou and Yami hopped into his car and Seto is on his way with a bunch of security guys to kick V out of his company for putting you in danger."

"Let him." Seth said glaring towards Bakura.

"Seth you're going to let him fire me! But I thought we were getting along?" V couldn't get mad at the boy; he cared about him too much. V sighed

In that moment a Limousine followed by two vans filled with Kaiba Corp. security stopped. Seto left the limousine and walked over to the group glaring at V. "Are you all right Seth?" He asked before adding, "V your fired."

"I'm fine pap's." Seth answered before looking at V and adding, "You're rehired."

"He's fired." Seto said angry.

"He's rehired." Seth replied calmly.

"He put you in danger." Seto complained.

"We had it under control and I had my cell with me." Seth tried to calm his father.

"You could have gotten hurt." Seto pointed out.

"V was careful. He might not be the smartest, but smart enough to handle the situation." Seth told his father.

"How was I not smart? Did you not see me seduce the shit of the fox so I could Taser his ass? And I tied him up and took his gun so he couldn't hurt you when he woke up. What else could I have done?" V said looking down at the boy ignoring Seto completely.

"You do realize that I'm a Kaiba and that both of my fathers are really rich?" Seth simply stated before pointing to one boat and adding, "That's dad's little boat by the way and the huge yacht next to it is Pap's over the top show of thing as dad always calls it. Oh and here are the key's" Seth pulled a few keys out of his pocked. He had one for both boats in case there was an emergency. Even though he wasn't allowed to use them, his fathers trusted his judgment enough to give him a spare key for each, just in case.

"You could have told me that! Great now I have to go out with that jerk for no reason" V said as he held his head in his hands. "How come you didn't just walk up to me and be all 'I have a whole fleet at my disposal, I wouldn't want you to ruin a day by dating a total asshole'. V said glaring at Seth, "if we weren't best friends". V said giving Seth a small smile.

"I would have told you." Seth pointed out, "But you didn't really give me the time before getting out your cell and calling that creep, as you refer to him. I did however like how enthusiastically you helped." Seth said returning the smile

"He still put you in danger." Seto insisted, ruining the friendship moment. "He should have contacted me to let me handle the situation. I could have gotten my men here soon enough for sure and it would have been safer than taking a child here."

Seth glared at him, "I was safe the whole time he told me to stay out of it. But what's more important, V was hired as my secretary which means he does as I say and not as you say and he was not hired as my nanny to keep me safe so I don't care how often you fire him, I'll just rehire him did I make myself clear."

"Give it up." Joey said. He had just arrived, happy to already see Seth, Lilac and Bakura safe and sound. "He can be nearly as stubborn as I am." Yami and Ryou also walked closer and Bakura gave Ryou a heated kiss which reminded V of his kissing expertise.

V walked over to the kissing pair and turned to Ryou, "you are a lucky guy, he is one hell of a kisser, it's no trouble to tell why you put up with his antics". V said with a wink. Ryou looked ready to kill and V was tempted to let Bakura take a beating for the shit he put him through today, but for Liliac, Seth, and Joe sake he decided to save his ass…again. "Oh Ra no I would never! I had to give him CPR and I guess he was thinking of you in his last moments and he thought he was kissing you". Ryou hugged V and said thank you for saving him and V left the couple to catch up.

"Oh and Ryou," Bakura said, "We'll be having someone over, like in permanently."

"Let me guess," Ryou replied with a happy smile, "You're getting all overprotective on her now?"

"Yes," Bakura confirmed, "But don't get too happy, I can be overprotective about more then one person at a time."

In that moment Lilac suddenly started to laugh so hard that she could hardly stand anymore. Everyone stared at her; even V hadn't seen her pull a giggle before, not once. That sad expression had always been present and she was one of the few people whose mask even V hadn't been able to break which really meant something. "What's so funny?" Bakura asked. He moved his hand's to the sides of her face until he too started to giggle and asked Seto, "Didn't you want to complain some more about V and kick him out again?"

"If he does he's in trouble." Joey stated. "Seth likes him and finally gets some help at work. V stays."

"You see Pap's." Seth said proud. "You've lost; you never go against dad since you always point out that no one can put him on a leash."

Bakura looked at V expectantly but V just looked at Seto with a calm and serious look and asked, "Than why did you get that doggy leash under your bed?"

Apart from the Kaiba's, V was the only one who wasn't laughing now and even Joey giggled slightly. Bakura actually was rolling on the ground with laughter while Seto said with a blush and a death glare to V, "It was just an experiment."

"And it failed." Joey pointed out, "He's the one who got leashed for trying."


	17. Seth's Crimson Treasure Part 1

**Authors Note from Violet-Eclipse and _Lily272_:** Yay! I'm back for another chapter and I brought someone that Lily loves.

_Well I like him, a lot. But Seth is the one who really, really loves him. Just that he isn't too in touch with his emotional side. But they have Joe to save the day._

I loved doing this with you girl it was so much fun:)

_same here and this certainly won't be the last time we work together because I never had this much fun writing anything. Oh and sorry for those who wanted Seth with Jaden like I pictured them at the start, but I just don't like OC's with main characters, as I told everyone who put in a review. But I found someone who's just perfect for my little Seth so I played matchmaker and begged V here to bring him along for a creative play date. Thanks for that hun_

Anytime girl he loves Seth and once they meet him they'll forget all about Jaden:) We want to thank everyone for the reviews

_Yeah thanks to kitty tokyo uzumaki and DmonXtrmN8r you're the best and also a very special thanks from me to kitty tokyo uzumaki. She to was involved in the story and gave Seth some advice over the phone which she really did give herself via PM. Thanks for the time Kitty you're the best godmother Seth can have. Also sorry for the end of this chapter but the next will be out really soon it's nearly done but already at about 7000 words and it was supposed to be part of this but V and I thought it might be too long. And now without further delay let's meet Seth's Crimson Treasure! And don't forget, **Normal is boring let's all go nuts!**_

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**Seth's Crimson Treasure Part 1**

Seth was in school reading a book but strangely he hadn't really changed the page for a while. He watched Jaden talk to one of the girls of their class, the most annoying one to be honest. Jaden had mentioned earlier that she is sort of cute and Seth couldn't help but watch what was going on. His eyes just refused to stay at the page of his new book from Noir.

"It's gonna stop today." Joe suddenly said looking to Jaden while dangling from a bar. The tail of the stuffed white dragon that she held in one of her hands was moving over the ground slowly turning a muddy grey from the black sand under the bar.

"What is going to stop?" Seth asked, "And don't hang there too long, your blood will rush to your head if you do that."

"But the world looks funny this way." Joe said, "Everything is upside down."

"You're upside down." Seth points out, "The rest is fine."

"But it LOOKS like the rests upside down." She said again.

"You still didn't tell me what's going to end today." Seth asked her again.

"I'm not sure," She said and climbed down from the bar to sit next to her brother before she started to climb onto the tree right behind him. "But something with Jaden."

Seth looked at her, his poker face nearly faltering with fear for the boy he had a little crush on. "What's going to happen? Tell me everything you know."

To be honest the crush wasn't so little at all. He was sure that he would grow older and watch Jaden from afar like his Pap's and his Dad had watched each other all the time during school. Just in his case, he would watch Jaden date one girl after the other until he would marry and start a family. He was certain that it would happen but he didn't mind, not as long as Jaden was happy. He didn't even watch them now because he was jealous; he was just worried that the girl could hurt Jaden's feelings. He wanted to protect him from that.

Joe thought about what to say and then simply said, "You'll stop it." She thought again, "Or rather your treasure fairy will make the little hero go further away from my dragon brother."

"You'll do something to Jaden?" Seth asked confused.

Joe giggled and said, "No I'm blue, your treasure fairy is red. The fairy will make the little hero go as far from you as I am."

Seth still had no idea what she was talking about. Who was going to make Jaden go further away from him and how "You live with me, how can that be far?" He mumbled but then thought about what Bakura had done with Lilac once; it sure was worth a try. "Come here Joe I want to try something please."

She climbed down from the tree again, walked over to Seth and set before him with a smile but before he touched her face she said, "Don't look ahead. The quell and the horizon don't matter, just the shore is what's important."

Seth had no idea what she meant with that but he placed his hands to both sides of her face and tried to focus on her. At first nothing happened but then he thought about her words, a quell a horizon and a shore. He thought about her powers that were clearly connected to water and pictured a river flowing into the ocean and tried to see his sister as the water in the picture. The next thing he saw astonished him. It all was stretching out filling up with pictures, statues and moving animals or even buildings that partly moved. Seth felt like he was floating over a shore and when he looked at his sister there was a fairy there one hand on a white claw of his. It took him a split second to understand why there was a claw instead of a hand but then he looked at the water to see his dragon self, the one she must be talking about. He looked just like the Light and Darkness dragon from the card. What really surprised him though was how mature he looked as a dragon. No one would mistake him for a child this way. The same was for his sister. The fairy had a very mature body and light blue wings as well as hair and eyes. Seth had been expecting a lot of white but apart from her skin there was nothing white on her. Her dress and the markings on her wings as well as the highlights in her hair were pitch black just like Seth's hair, or right now, the other claw and the dark half of his body. Seth looked along the shore and he could see a mountain with a purple fairy on top, she too had a little blue on her, her dress and her highlights as well as markings on her wings where light blue which looked well with the purple. On there was a tiny lake which surprised him and in it was something that looked like a really fluffy and colourful little sea dragon. It was sort of a mixture of a fish and a snake from the look of it. There also was a snake that looked a lot like another yugioh card, and considering that it was Diabound Kernel King Seth was sure that it was Bakura.

He also saw a lot of other things along the shore. A boxed up fox ensured him that the guy he had fought with V recently was still in jail after his call to the police. Seto's security had kept an eye on him until the police came.

Along the shore he also saw a place that seemed to pull him closer somehow. There were many statues and pictures of him in his dragon form, the desert he was in looked dry and hot but he didn't seem to mind. In it was another fairy but before he could see more about what the fairy looked like, Seth got distracted by something moving along the horizon. He looked up hearing Joe's warning in his head, "No don't brother, don't look there." But it was too late, he looked there. There was something very far away, but it moved closer a little every now and then. After looking at it, the horizon suddenly came much closer and he saw it clearly, his blue fairy was dead. She lay there lifeless and he himself had turned all black and was surrounded by pieces that, after clearer looking at it, were parts of the earth and behind that, was nothing. Seth didn't know why, but he knew that he had shattered the whole world in anger. "That isn't you big brother." He heard Joe's voice but then everything went dark.

Joe was next to her brother in the nursery when he came around just a little later and looked at him saying cheerfully, "I told you not to look."

Seth was very pale. And asked quietly, "That was me wasn't it? Does that mean that I'll destroy the whole world?"

"You were gone too fast. Pappy and daddy dragon made the horizon go away again." Joe said happy and proud.

"It doesn't matter." He whispered, "It's going to happen because of me."

Joe thought about it for a moment and then said, "Do it again, look into me but look at the quell. Trust me big brother."

"I have a headache." Seth said, "And I'm sick."

"Then better now than later." Joe said smiling. "Or else you'll just get it back."

Seth gave a sigh, at least Joe has somehow been able to get them to be alone. He put his hands onto her face and now that he knew how it looked in her head it was much easier to see into it. He had just about closed his eyes and already saw his sister, "Look this way." she said just as Seth was about to look at the dreaded horizon again.

He did as he was told though and there at another mountain much higher then Lila's was a quell from which a huge river started. A lot of other rivers started and along each of the rivers where places where fairies lived. He saw dragons and snakes and lizards as well as other things there too. But what surprised him the most was the sky where the quell was. Up there was a sparkly light that was touching a really dark shadow that's creeping along the mountain. "What is that?" Seth asked awe struck since he saw a small childish version of his dragons self and a blue child fairy pictured in the water of the quell.

"You're funny." Joe said, holding his claw like last time. "You recognise the end but not the beginning."

Once again Seth couldn't stay there any longer. He was so sick that he was sure that if he stayed in her head a second longer he would puke. He had no idea how Joe could look at so much clutter in her mind all the time. He did understand however, why she had a hard time learning everything, teaching her was about as easy as filling a completely full glass. She seriously needed someone to tidy up inside her head and help her organize it all.

Seht rubbed his temples when he mumbled, "So you're saying that we started the world and I'm going to end it?"

"Nope." Joe said. "You started and will end it. When shine space and shadow realm touched we were created and you liked me and I was lonely and you gave me a toy. And we'll both have so many more lives together so don't worry."

Seth stared at her and thought,_ did she really just call the whole world her toy?_

"I'm still the one to end it." Seth said saddened.

"Did you notice the distance?" She asked.

Seth thought about it and then realized that the horizon was, most of the time about ten times as far away as the quell. "It doesn't matter when it happens." Seth said, "I'll end the world."

Joe thought about it for a moment but then said, "But only after many lives. Seth, is it nice to say that you don't like a gift and just look another way?"

"Of course not." Seth said. And wondered what on earth she was going on about now.

She smiled and then said, "Then you've got to look at the shore." Seth looked even more confused. "The shore is the now." Joe said after seeing his confusion.

Seth thought about it for a while. If the shore is the now, the quell is the start and the horizon the end; then the ocean is the future the rivers the past and the shore the present. Seth smiled at her a little when he realised what he had thought himself just now. "You mean I need to like the present and not the future or the past?"

"That's what I said." Joe answered. Seth couldn't help but smile a little at her attempt to encourage him, even though he was still worried. Maybe it really would be better if he didn't exist. That way the world didn't need to end.

"What about Jaden now?" Seth asked. He still had no idea what was going on there and he had no interest to try and find anything in his sister's mind anytime soon. His head felt like it was about to split open.

"You'll see." She said with a smile, "It isn't bad so don't worry big brother. It'll be fine. Oh I forgot something." Joe looked terrified all of a sudden Seth looked at her worried.

"What is it?" Seth asked looking around worried that something might be coming for his sister after all. Considering what he saw in her head she shouldn't be in danger anytime soon but still.

"The phone." She said.

"What phone?" Seth asked and looked at his phone to see that he had a massage from V.

He was just about to read it when Joe said, "Miss Jojo's phone. It rang after she brought you here and she asked me to watch you for a second and to give a shout when you're up. I forgot." After saying that Joe put her fingers into Seth's ears since he had a headache and Seth was about to tell her not to scream, but he was too late. Joe screamed as loud as she could.

"Joe-Joe," Seth said, "She meant to go to her and tell her and not to shout out loud. Now she'll think something happened to one of us."

Seth already heard footsteps running through the hallway and soon after Miss Shamer stood in the door looking worried towards the kids. "What happened?" She asked.

"Never tell Joe to give a shout." Seth informed her rubbing his temples, "Especially not when I have a headache."

Joe just grinned at the teacher and said, "Sorry, Seth told me you meant to come and get you but I thought you meant to shout out as loud as I can so you hear me."

Jojo gave a sigh in relieve and Seth could nearly see a huge stone fall off her chest. "At least you two are okay." Jojo said and got some weak pain killers that would be safe for a child of Seth's age and size and passed him one. He really did look like he'd just walked through hell and back which worried the teacher who had never seen the boy this shaken up by anything.

"Do you want me to call your dad?" She asked, "Joe insisted that it wasn't necessary and that you just looked at the wrong thing and that gave you a fright but to be honest, I find that really hard to believe."

"No thanks'" Seth said, "May I just rest for a little until the pain eases up? I'll be fine then, Joe pretty much was right with what she said, it's just hard to explain."

The teacher still looked worried but then said, "Fine but I'll talk to your dad when he comes and picks you up."

"That's okay." Seth replied with a sigh. He didn't really want to talk to his dad about this since Joe might tell him what Seth had seen and he wasn't too keen on his dad knowing that his little boy would eventually end the world. Well considering that Joe had talked about many lives Seth could be sure that he wasn't his son then but still. "Could you leave me alone for a little while? I think I should try and sleep for an hour after this."

"Of course." Jojo said and took Joe's hand saying, "Come sweetheart let's go back to the playground and tell Jaden that your brother is doing better. He was really worried wasn't he?"

Once they were gone Seth looked at the message of V which read:

_Hey Seth! I have a problem my little bro's baby sister broke her leg getting out of bed this morning and I can't find anyone else to watch him, do you mind if I bring him to work with me? He's your age! And like a mini-me so you'll love him:)_

Seth gave a sigh. He really wasn't in the mood for having a noisy child around but maybe once the drug would kick in he would feel better. And he really wanted to chat a little with V about what he had seen. At least he too had shadow powers and might understand him, even though he wasn't the apocalypse.

_You can bring him._

After writing the response Seth gave a sigh, there was hardly anytime left for rest before his dad would pick him up and drive to work.

When V read the response he could have jumped with joy. Since their parents deaths a few months ago things have been hard on the brothers, yet they've never been closer. V moved them both here deciding that a change might help them cope, Lilac has been great support through all of this and now he has Seth but he couldn't stop worrying about Mattie. The boys always had it rough and now he isn't sleeping well at night, his dreams get plagued by a dragon.

_Thanks Seth! You don't sound well? What happened! Why haven't you told me about it?_

While waiting for the boy to respond V went to check on his brother. When he knocked on the door he heard the familiar "come in" and he walked in the room. Mattie was sitting at his desk playing with their mother's old tarot cards.

"Hey Violet did you hear from Lily yet? Is she okay?" V cringed a little as he said his real name, their mother claimed it was the name V was 'meant to have' so he left it there. When Mattie was born their mom wanted to name him Crimson but their dad fought her on it and he got a normal name.

"She's fine her leg is broken, she's mostly upset she doesn't get to spend time with you" Mattie smiled. "You're coming to work with me today…and your starting school tomorrow" He began to grin but it quickly fell when V brought up the S word.

"But what if it happens again? You know I won't make any friends?" V pulled him into a hug and Mattie's familiar warmth spread through him.

"You're an amazing person Mattie and people will love you" V said with a smile, "I believe in you Mattie. You can control it, I know you can…just think about stuff that makes you happy" Mattie gave V a small grin. "And when it comes to friends you're going to meet my boss Seth today and I'm sure you guys will get along, you start at his school tomorrow". Mattie gave V a small smile and then his phone buzzed.

_FYI a text CAN'T sound like anything. But we'll talk about it further at work._

V smiled at the boy's message. He told Mattie to get ready and as he got all of his stuff together V texted Seth back.

_Kay I'm holding you to that:) Cya soon bestie:)_

Once Mattie had a few things packed in a bag in case he got bored they headed to the car. Mattie was unusually quiet during the beginning of their drive and V was worried about the dreams again. When Lilac first told V of their powers and Shine-Forms everything made sense the voices V heard when he was around plants and his brothers gifts. After seeing firsthand the powers of premonition both Joe and Lilac possessed it was safe to say that all fairies in Shine Space had the same ability.

"Mattie what's wrong, did something happen to the dragon?" Lilac told V that Mattie was a Crimson Fairy, so there mother had been right about Mattie at least. But the nature of V's name still hasn't made itself known.

"Nothing has happened to him yet big brother I just have this strong feeling that he needs me…and I hate that I can't be there for him." The hot tears that were about to fall from Mattie's eyes soon turned to steam. I pulled the car to the side of the road and pulled him in to a hug "We'll find him little brother I promise you that." Mattie nodded and V continued driving to work.

When the car pulled up to the Kaiba Corp building Mattie got excited to see where his brother worked, V grinned it was nice to see him happy again. When they got to the top floor Mattie said he was going to run to the washroom to see if he could get the 'I just finished crying look' off his face V showed him where it was and Seth's office and once V saw him go safely in the washroom he went to check on his best friend.

Seth looked like he'd been dragged behind a truck for five hours. I threw my bags on the chair and pulled him into a hug. "Sweetie what happened? Tell me everything?"

"You never heard about personal space did you?" Seth asked with his usual poker face but since there was no death glare to be found, he couldn't really be mad.

"I think I slept through the 'respecting people's personal space' class in school" V said not letting the boy free of his hug.

"Whatever, it's a lot of things actually. I wouldn't even know where to begin. But I guess I start with the easy part. Jaden has a crush on a girl from our class and I think she's got a crush on me meaning that Jaden will be heartbroken. And yes, that was the easy thing. And let's talk about the rest another time I really need to think that through myself first. But to top it all of the coffee I got after dad picked me up from school was cold." Seth eyed the cup full of cold coffee like it existed just to annoy him.

"Awe sweetie I was really hoping you wouldn't go through this. It happened to me once I had this crush on a boy named Neon Greenwood, he was always so nice to mean when everyone wasn't and before I knew it I had a huge crush on him". V said loosening his grip on the boy.

"What happened?" Seth said happy he could breathe a little easier.

"I got all angry and turned it to a total be-not nice person and he started to hate me…that's when things got really bad….but you don't need to hear that. Over time I got my shit together and was able to be his friend…if you really care about him Seth you need to let him be happy…even if that's not with you, but he will want you in his life". V squeezed the boy lightly and got up. "Bummer about the coffee, I'll get you a new cup when you meet Mattie".

Seth gave a sigh. "I know that. And I want him to find happiness but he can't find it with her if she doesn't return his feelings. I want to protect him from the pain he'll suffer once he finds out that she is only talking to him to get to me. She already wrote me a love letter once and I fear she only tries to get closer using him as a stepping stone. I just want to protect him, but I don't know how"

"You are right about that sweetie; you're in a tuff spot. If you tell him about the letter he may think that you want to be with her or get mad at you for it. Just be there, right now that's the best thing you can do for him". V was about to get back to work since the boy had his thinking face on. "Oh and would you mind doing me a huge favor, can you show Mattie around tomorrow? It's his first day at your school". V said with pleading eyes.

"You mean your brother? Sure why not, If he comes into the same class I'll even let Mattie sit in the empty space next to me, I know how uncomfortable the first day can be especially when you don't know anyone." Seth told him.

"Oh! Don't call him Mattie, its Matt he only lets 'special' people call him Mattie", V said grinning at the boy. "Thanks for everything Seth you really are an awesome friend…and boss".

"Fine with me," Seth answered.

Seth was already in full work mode again when Mattie knocked quietly on the office door waiting for his brother to let him in. He was sure he didn't look like he was crying but then again lately that's all he felt like doing.

"Mattie! Come meet Seth" V smiled at him and he did his best to smile back. As he entered the room he kept his eyes to the floor but when the door closed it surprised him so he looked up. The boy in front of him was gorgeous his black hair was slightly messed up and he didn't look like he felt well but Mattie couldn't take his eyes off of him. When the boy's gaze met his he got lost in those fiery red eyes and then it clicked.

Within seconds Mattie was in Seths arms, "My dragon I knew I would find you, everything's okay now I'm here for you". Before Seth could speak Mattie had pulled him in for a kiss, and it must have been one hell of a kiss since even the cup of cold coffee started to boil.

Seth hadn't really listened to what V said and was surprised to see the boy at first, having nearly forgotten all about the visitor he would have due to everything that had been going on in his head. Due to lack of reaction from Seth, due to his surprise, the kiss ended really soon. Seth just stared at the boy who had just run towards him and kissed him. Seth fought hard to keep calm but was sure that at least V must notice that he was everything but calm. He coughed once to find his voice and said, "Please excuse me for a moment." And with that he left his office and walked slowly towards the bathroom. All the while fighting to keep his poker face in place. Once he had the door looked behind him he leaned against the door and slid down breathing heavily.

What on earth is wrong with me? What was that? The moment where that strange boy had called him his dragon he had felt a strange twist in him, like some part of him longed to hear those words but what on earth could that be? But the thing that confused him the most was the strange feeling he had when the boy kissed him. He wanted to grab the boy, tie him up and lock him into his room and not even allow Joe to see him.

What on earth had that strange feeling been? What on earth had caused such an emotion? It couldn't be love. He loved Jaden didn't he? Never in his life had Seth been this confused.

He thought about what he could do and decided to talk to someone who could maybe give him some sort of advice. He got out his mobile and was about to call his Pap's, but since his Pap's isn't exactly famous for his social skills he decided to rather call his dad. Seth had already dialled when he remembered that his dad would still be single if it weren't for Seth, so he probably wasn't the best to give him advice either. Seth considered Jaden but since he would have to admit to being gay and possibly about his feelings for Jaden too, that idea was quickly disregarded. Seth was about to call his teacher Jojo who he respected a lot but since she is Jaden's mother now, she might not be the best person to talk about Jaden either. He was about to call his godfather Yami but then remembered that Yami was in Egypt for a congress and didn't want to disturb him about this. By now Seth was so lost that he even considered calling V but since it strongly looked like that kid was Matthew, V's younger brother, he disregarded that even faster than calling Jaden. Seth wasn't sure on that since he had been too focused to hear V calling his brother into the room; he had just seen him after feeling a strange pull towards the door and looking up.

In the end he called his godmother Kitty who he talked to frequently. Most of the time on a phone or via mails but he knew that she was a good listener and could be trusted. Once he heard someone pick up the phone he said "Kitty I need help." Before she could even say anything and with a shaky voice that was nearly failing him at the end. Seth felt the blush on his face because it was so unlike him to feel this helpless and to have this little control over himself.

"Seth? What's wrong?!" Kitty called out in alarm, gaining attention from her editor. "Did something happen?!" Kitty questioned as scenarios of absolute horror entered her head.

"I have no idea what's wrong with me I'm just...I don't know. I mean I'm sort of fine and everything but...I think I was just kissed." Seth told Kitty stopping every now and then to think about what he should say.

Kitty stayed silent for a while in shock. "K-Kissed? By who? Jaden?" Kitty asked trying to calm her beating heart while scolding herself mentally for over-reacting.

"Of course not!" Seth said sounding outraged before he added with a sad voice. "Jaden is starting to flirt with a girl from our class." he takes a deep breath, "Kitty I don't know what to do about that either. I really don't like seeing him with that girl. She doesn't care for him enough, I can already see him getting heart broken and I want to protect him but I just can't. I can just watch him run right towards his own end." He remembered V's advice which had been good but he hoped for another option as a back-up plan.

Kitty smiled sadly on the other side of the phone, "Just be there for him and let him know he can come to you if he ever needs comfort. Just let him know that no matter what he can rely on you." Kitty said sincerely before going back to her cheerful voice and started teasing Seth about his stolen kiss. "So~, who stole your lip-virginity~?" She asked mischievously.

Seth blushes and for a moment she can her him gasp for air but after a few deep breaths he's nearly back to his usual calm even though his head is still spinning and the confusion is far from being gone. "I'm not a hundred percent certain but I think that it was Matthew. He's the brother of my new secretary. I bet my Pap's already informed you about him and asked you to get me to fire him while Dad told you that he's being overprotective am I right? Anyway, there was a problem with the regular care taking for his brother and he couldn't find another way as to bring him in. And now this boy just walked in said my dragon and kisses me all of a sudden. I have no idea why or what I should do I mean if it is Matthew, and I really don't know who else could have walked right into my office since the security is rather high, but he's five years old and just walks up to me and kisses me." It's still audible that Seth is really confused even though he seems to be calmer by now.

Kitty chuckles nervously. "Oh r-really?" Kitty asked trying to act shocked about the dragon bit. "M-Matthew you say? Hehe." Kitty rambles while trying not to sound suspicious.

"I really don't understand what's so funny about this." Seth said and actually sounded angry. "I mean he just kissed me out of the blue. I was so shocked I had no idea what to do I actually said excuse me and made a run for it to the bathroom and I'm currently sitting at the toilets of my father's company on the floor! Do you have any idea how this makes me look?"

"Okay, calm down... Alright what I'm gonna say now is going to upset you but I thought you should know. I already knew this would happen." Kitty said bluntly.

"How could you know that?" He asked her confused.

"Umm... You know how Jono was an oracle? Well sometimes oracles can see the one your destined for, there was a reason Jono had red eyes. It's said that those with red eyes can see the name of your soul mate above your head. Who knows maybe you might have this ability one day. Ah haha." She exclaimed neverously.

"I don't see that. I'll never see that. And I most certainly don't want to see that." Seth said trying to stay calm "But that doesn't explain how YOU knew that name."

"Ha~? What do you mean? And that gift doesn't kick in until you're like 16." Kitty said. Then she paused as if she just remebered something, "Oh yea, you don't know. I keep forgetting only Saki and your dad know. My eyes are really read, but I actually wear colored contacts. It's mostly because mine are a bit darker than yours and my pupils are a lot more different than a normal person's." she explained.

Seth is quiet for a moment and then said, "I won't see that I don't want to see that and you're wrong. I love Jaden."

Kitty stayed silent for a while. "You'll understand soon enough. And since your so mature mentally, I won't be surprised if the gift comes to you soon. I'll always be here if you need me. And, I want you to know if you see another's name above Jaden's head, then I want you to be strong and help guide him to that person. That is the purpose of our kind. So, don't be too shocked or disappointed.

"I'm reasonably sure that I'm not getting that gift and my red eyes have a different reason and as you said, mine are different from yours." Seth pointed out. "Also I'm not meant to guide of that I'm sure." Seth gave another sigh. "I'm getting a really bad headache so you think you can give me one advice as to how to deal with this? I like Jaden and this Matthew is still in the same room that I'll have to go to now so please help me!"

Kitty grunted in irritation at his stubbornness but decided to help him out. "First I want you to go to Matthew and say that you're flattered that he likes you but he's too young to be in a relationship with you and that maybe when he's older you'll consider it, then go home and seriously think about how you feel about Jaden." She said. Then after sometime she said one more thing about the soul mate gift. "If you truly believe you don't have the gift then you'll know by not having a birth mark on your shoulder blade and if you do I want you to look up the symbol online. Look for ancient Greek love signs."

"I don't have any strange birthmarks so I win." He said slightly smug. "And I think about telling him thanks for the advice. I really appreciate it because I had no idea who to call and I really needed to talk. And thanks again for the last book it is really well written, but I think I should return or they'll be worried."

"Alright hun, glad to be of help. Bye and I love you." kitty said.

"Bye Kitty. Love you too." Seth said sounding much better then at the start of their conversation.

Mattie couldn't move, he did hear his brother when he spoke to him noir did he feel his arms as he hugged him he just felt like something was broken. Suddenly a feeling came over him he couldn't explain he'd never felt like this before and he didn't like it. Once he started to panic his brothers voice penetrated his mind.

"Mattie you're scaring me! You´re cold! You don't get cold what's wrong? Talk to me". V's mind was racing one moment he was trying help Seth through something that he wished the boy didn't have to go through and then his brother comes in and kisses Seth. He couldn't be mad at the boy for leaving the room this was a lot to hand for someone his age, even with Seth's advanced mind. V would be as confused as the boy if he didn't hear the words Mattie spoke before he kissed him…Seth was the dragon that haunted Mattie's dreams, it was how V predicted Mattie wasn't just having dreams. His new question was what role he and his brother play in Seth and Joe's story.

He was cold? So this is what cold feels like, Mattie had always wondered about that? The feeling of cold was one of many things his curse deprived him of. The kiss with hi-the dragon had been as he hoped it would amazing but like his darkest fears not even the dragon wanted to be around him. In his dreams the dragon always seemed to like him but some small part of him always knew the truth…friendship and love were things that the curse had also taken from him.

Seth slowly returned to his office. He still wasn't sure what he should do since he wasn't sure if he could say it to the boy. It was already like his face was burned into the back of his head. Seth was sure that it was only the surprise about getting kissed that coursed that. Just he knew that he couldn't say that he didn't want to even try and risk seeing him sad. So for now he would try to at least establish some form of personal space between himself and that boy. Once he entered his office he tried to pretend like nothing had happened. He looked towards the strange boy once fighting a blush before he set down at his laptop and started to work on it without saying a single word towards either of the other two males in the room.

When the door to the office opened and Seth walked in V was happy, maybe with his brother's dragon in the room he would wake up. This had only happened once before…when he told Mattie their parents had died…he did not want that to happen again, he was worried Mattie wouldn't be able to take it.

Seth saw V kneel with Mattie and was happy about it. At least that way someone close to the boy helped him deal with this and V knew that Seth had a crush on someone else and could carefully tell the boy.

When hi-the dragon entered the room and didn't even look at him something snapped inside of Mattie and the cold began to intensify and spread. Something within him began to slowly die and his body told him he needed heat and suddenly he was getting it.

Mattie began to shake violently in V arms and he seemed to be getting colder. V looked at the boy's face and could see his lips start to turn dark blue. He knew Seth would be able to help him but he didn't know how and with the state the boys in he couldn't put the weight of another life on the boy's shoulders. Suddenly V began to feel the heat being sucked out of his body he looked up at Seth and the boy had a 'what's going on' look on his face but V couldn't tell him…he promised Mattie that he wouldn't…he promised him a fresh start where no one would know, it was up to him now to save his brother.

"Mattie sweetie I'm here! I'm not leaving you, you don't want to do this…I know you don't" The boy didn't seem to respond, he would have to talk about the dreams he just hoped that when Mattie came out of this he would forgive him…if there was a him still here to forgive. "Mattie I know the dragon hurt you and I know that life has treated you unfair…I even hurt you before but this isn't you remember what I told you, you can control it". V began to shake and he knew that he couldn't keep this up for much longer, "Think of happy things".

Mattie looked up at him his once green eyes gone to a dull lifeless color. "My dragon doesn't want me…he doesn't need me…he doesn't care" the voice that spoke was full of sadness, suddenly V felt the boy suck more heat from him and he collapsed on floor shivering.

I should have known the second he called me his dragon before. Seth thought and would bet everything he owned that this boy is the red fairy. Suddenly he understood what Joe had been going on about. She must think that Seth would be all over this boy now and emotionally distance himself from Jaden and probably see him more like a sibling._Well even Joe can't know everything._ He thought, certain that she simply hadn't realized how deep his feelings for Jaden were.

Seth watched the two men and already had noticed that something was wrong. The whole room started to cool down. Even the coffee seemed to be cold again. Seth had noticed it boil just before he left. He wanted to help that boy but didn't really know how. He took the coffee and stood up to walk closer. Once there he held the coffee out to the boy and said, "Could you please heat that up again."

Mattie looked up at the boy and could see that he was serious. The dragon needed him and once those words sunk in it was enough to dull the pain that was deep inside of him, his body stopped absorbing the heat and his temperature slowly started to rise. Mattie touched the mug with one of his fingers and the coffee began to boil once again as Mattie looked up in to those beautiful red eyes for a moment he felt like everything was going to be okay the it hit him again that the boy would never be his.

"And by the way, who said I didn't want you?" Seth asked with a slight blush not understanding why he felt the urge to protect this boy, "I'm going through a lot at the moment so please just leave me a little bit of personal space as a comfort zone and be patient and now quit the drama, you look much better with red lips then blue ones."

The boy's speech made Mattie smile even though he only heard small parts of it. His body felt weak and he knew what was about to happen, as his eyes began to close he kept replaying Seth's words over and over in his head and he fell into an all too familiar sleep.

V had woken up in time to see Mattie heat the coffee cup and hear Seth's speech. Anyone who had a clue about romance could see that his brother was in love with Seth. After Mattie fell asleep, like V knew he would the boy got up and laid his brother down on the couch and focused his attention on Seth. Who was worried for the boy but refused to show it anymore then he already had.

After that Seth returned to his laptop, about to continue with work but instead of typing he was rubbing his temples, "V, would you please be so good to find me some pain killers my head is killing me. And while you're at it can you please see if you can find something warm I can put on my shoulders to relax them a little." A part of Seth hoped that Mattie could help him with the heat for his shoulders, like he had with heating his coffee, and would need to touch him while another part feared that he would and was glad that he seemed to be knocked out for the time being. Seth didn't understand the draw this boy had and to be honest, it terrified him, but at the same time he longed for the boy to feel the same longing. He just didn't want to long for that.

Before V could react Seth started to type again, he was behind schedule already an feared that he wouldn't be able to finish his work today and he hated it when his Pap's needed to pick up the slakes for him while he knew that he would never be allowed to do it himself. But even though he had started to work, he kept watching Mattie carefully. The boy looked so fragile right now and Seth couldn't help but want to protect him, keep him for himself, and if possible lock him up in his own room to ensure that no one else could even see that boy, no one but him should be allowed to be close to him but at the same time he wondered, _What on earth is wrong with me to think that way?_

V giggled "Seth sweetie Mattie's asleep"; V said acting way to calm after what happened in Seth's opinion. "He always sleeps for a while after this happens…his body needs time to stabilize" V said running his fingers through his brothers hair.

To Seth dismay he wanted to rip V's finger out one by one for touching his Mattie and he was even more angered that he himself wasn't even permitted to call him that. He fought his death glare back and stayed calm though, looking like he didn't care at all but not sure how well he pulled that off.

V smiled at the boy, he knew Seth would piece it together that Mattie has very strong shine powers. "Seth I'll tell you about Mattie's powers but only because you deserve to know and if anything happens at school I need you to help him, can you promise me that?" Seth nodded and V smiled at the boy. "I can't however tell you about the whole 'my dragon' thing I promised I wouldn't…that's between you two".

Seth didn't really care; he had heard more than enough about this already and was happy to get around another speech of how he somehow seemed to be this boy's dragon. But maybe that explained the draw this boy head. The dragon was drawn to him, but not he himself. More like the dragon was a separate part in his mind.

"So Mattie is pyrokinetic, only he seems to grow stronger and develop new abilities almost every week. His powers are linked to his emotions so if he gets angry, embarrassed, or anything that rises his body temperature he sets things on fire or things heat up like your coffee. Now the new thing is if he gets really upset his body temperature drops and he sucks the heat from all surrounding sources to try and keep him alive, like you just saw. When Mattie is in a good mood however he's fine and has some control over his powers but he resents them and calls it a curse. "

Seth looks at the boy and feels sorry for him, he knew how it was to be cursed but he wouldn't call his gift a curse, once he learns to control it he might do a lot of good with it. Seth kept watching the boy, "Is there more or can you get me my pain killers?"

"This has happened a few times…this is the first time he ever got upset enough to start sucking the heat from things but he's gotten angry and embarrassed enough before to start a few fires…but he's never killed anyone though. I can't really tell you more because it's his business, if you want to know more you're going to have to ask him". V said hoping that he may have helped his brother's love life out a little he could tell Seth had some feelings for the boy but all he could do at this point was help Seth along and hope for the best. "Ra I'm sorry Seth let me go get those things you asked for". V left the room hoping that some alone time with Mattie may speed things up.

The second V had left the room Seth moved closer to Mattie and put a hand on his forehead to check for a fever and was slightly worried, he wasn't sure if he might normally be a little warmer due to his power or if it mattered at all how warm he got himself. Seth's hand moved upwards and a little through the boys hair. It was soft and Seth love the feeling but he gave a little sigh forced his hand to let go of the boy so he wouldn't wake up because of him. But he would make sure that the kid was alright and that he could help him during the next day and ease his start into school, no matter what it would cost him. Seth staid where he was and watched the boy as he lay there and dreamed, hoping that it was a nice one.

The dream was scary and Mattie didn't have his dragon here to protect him. Instead of the nice warm desert he was used to Mattie was thrown into a forest and was completely alone. Mattie ran through the forest calling out Seth's name before he ran into glass and was knocked down, he hugged his knees close and began to hear the familiar sizzle that occurred when he cried. Remembering Seth's no drama speech Mattie rubbed his eyes and got up and as he looked through the glass what he saw tore his heart out. It was a clear field and Seth-dragon was sitting by a river with a mini-hero the boy was small and as he smiled at Seth Mattie knew he would never forget those eyes. Mattie tried desperately to bang on the glass to get Seth's attention but once Seth's focused on the other boy Mattie understood everything, "He doesn't want me…he wants him" a fire ignited inside of Mattie and his pain only made it stronger. "He lied to me", the pain was too great and Mattie's knees gave way and he fell to the ground.

When Mattie's eyes opened again he was back in the office again and Seth was right next to him. Mattie felt happy for a quick second before remembering the dream and everything that happened. "Sorry for all the trouble I caused you and the kiss…it was a stupid thing to do". Mattie didn't look at Seth or wait for his reaction he just walked over to his brother's desk took out his sketch book and started drawing those eyes…the one the dragon wants.

Seth returned to his desk quietly. It seemed the boy respected his wish and he was relived as well as disappointed. For the rest of the day Seth was hardly able to get any work done. The pain killer V had brought in shortly after Mattie had woken up eased the pain but it was far from gone. The fact that Mattie was still sitting next to V wasn't helping either. Seth couldn't keep his eyes of the boy. He feared him to just fall asleep again or to feel worse again and react like he had before. The look on the boy's face didn't help either, he was hurt and Seth knew that it was because of him.

Seth was happy as he finally was in a limousine with his father and on his way home, that was until his Pap's refused to wait for Seth to come to him with his problems and asked about them instead.

"What's wrong with you son?" Seto asked Seth on their way back. He had noticed that he hadn't even finished half of the tasks for today even though he usually would have been board with it and begged for more. "Did V do something?"

"V did nothing." Seth said, "And stop pestering him, he's really nice and never put me in danger. On the contrary I bet he'd be willing to risk his live if he could safe mine that way."

"If you think so." Seto mumbled, "But what is troubling you then?"

"Nothing particular." Seth simply answered without looking at him.

Seto watched his son for a while before he said, "I know something is wrong. You're pale and look sick. Are you maybe feeling unwell? Joey mentioned that you fainted in school today but that you insisted that it was nothing and that you're fine. He was worried though."

"When did he tell you about that." Seth asked not changing his expression and staring at a book in his hand. The same book he had the day before and round about on the same page. Seto couldn't see what page but he clearly wasn't much further.

"When he drove you to work. Right after school." Seto answered. "He came in with Joe after you to tell me. By the way Joe also said that you aren't sick and just 'looked at the wrong thing'."

Seth paled a little and asked, "Did she tell you what I saw?"

"She said you saw the end and when we asked her for clarification on what she meant she just said the dragon and fairy at the end." Seto answered having noticed his reaction and certain that it had to do with that, "She looked at us like it should already have been obvious and the clarification at least tell us everything for certain but as you can probably guess, we know about as much as before."

"It's nothing really." Seth answered, "But I do have a little headache and don't really want to talk about this further."

Seto watched Seth a little longer, "And you're sure you don't need to see a doctor or maybe stay home for a few days to rest?"

"I'm fine." Seth answered, "And I can't stay home from school since I promised V to watch out for his brother on his first day. He's starting at my school tomorrow."

"You sure this V is fine?" Seto asked, "Sounds to me like he's using you."

Seth glared at him, "You really think I'm naïve enough to be used? I know that he does a lot for friends but in return I'll have to be a good friend too and as you might remember, I know a little about not having many friends and Matthew has a similar problem as I do. I'm going to be there for him and not just because V asked me but because he's a friend and I would have helped his brother even if he hadn't asked just like I know he'd do for me."

Seto gave a sigh and said, "I know that you're smart but I also know that you have a very good heart and I don't want you to get hurt my son. And I notice when something is bothering you. So please if you don't want to talk to me, then talk to Joey or someone else. Maybe Rain or Kitty, she's your godmother isn't she?"

"I called her already." Seth informs his father hoping to calm him. "She did give me some really good advice which turned out to help a lot." Seth remembered how it seemed to have calmed the boy when he told him to be patient and that he didn't say he didn't want him around at all.

"You're still not okay though." Seto pointed out.

"It was only about one of my current problems." Seth admitted. "V is helping me with another and he too can give some really good advice. But there is one thing I don't want to talk about to anyone right now, I'll need some time to think it through first."

"Sometimes it helps to think it through with others." Seto prompted him, "Two heads think better than one no matter how smart one of those heads is."

"Maybe," Seth admits, "But I still need to think about this a little at least. Please give me that time. When I'm ready I will tell you."

"Are you sure?" Seto asked, "You didn't talk to us about whatever you talked about to V and Kitty." It wasn't really audible in Seto's voice but Seth was sure that he was upset about that.

"It was about Jaden." Seth informed him. "I do have a bit of a crush on him, not too much though, but he's in love with a girl that probably wants to use him as a steppingstone to get me."

"You're in first grade." Seto said shocked, "You sure he isn't just playing with her like he might with Joe?"

"Please pap's." Seth replied, "Go with the time, children now days are a little more open-minded to relationships then it was at your time. Granted most probably have no idea what love means and it's all about popularity but still. There is already a couple in our class. Sometimes two or three coursing a lot of relationship issues and fights but there are couples who at least say their together or even hold hands at time and kiss before giggling about the kissing."

Seto stared at his son for a moment and then mumbled, "I guess it's true that watching your children grow shows you how old you're getting."

"You're not that old." Seth smiles smugly, "But obviously you're getting too old to run a gaming company, I mean you can't even understand the problems your own son has, how will you understand what children want?"

"Don't get cocky." Seto tells him with a smug smile, "You'll get to run the company someday but definitely not yet so give it up."

"Don't worry," Seth tells him with an equally smug smile, "I'll allow you to run it a little longer if you want and won't snatch it away just yet."

"Dad would be upset if you worked harder." Seto reminds him, "So you couldn't."

"Oh I'm sure I could strike a deal with him." Seth said even smugger and with an evil grin on his face, "I'll just remind him how much play time that would give him with you. It would be good for you too; maybe you'll learn to put him on a leash instead of the other way around."

"Don't cross a line." Seto warned him with a mild version of his death glare, "And now tell me what was the thing you talked about to the other one? You talked to V and Kitty but that was just one problem." This time Seto didn't just want to help his son he also really wanted to change the topic.

"Oh I talked about Jaden with both." Seth tells him. "But I also talked to Kitty about Matthew who surprised me by kissing me out of the blue." Seth wanted to call him Mattie instead of Matthew but he refused to use the name Matt since obviously, nearly everyone called him that and Seth wanted to be special.

Seto stared at his son and then said, "I beg your pardon? You're a boy, and get kissed by a guy, and instead of going to one of your two male parents you go to a female godparent?"

"Considering that I had to get my two male parents together because they were absolutely hopeless. Which also coursed me a lot of problems and gave me a really hard time trying to get them together," Seth reminds him and still remembers how often he even told Seto how hopeless he was, "You shouldn't be surprised that neither of you is my first choice for advice when it comes to relationship problems."

Seto gave a sigh and then said, "So you've been kissed, who is this Matthew?"

"Matthew is V's kid brother." Seth informs him, "I thought you'd know, didn't you read his file."

"Of course I read his file." Seto told him, "I even did a background check to ensure that he didn't give a pile of lies. But I'm reasonably sure that his brother isn't the only boy in the world whose name is Matthew and I know that in your school two grades above you is a Matthew as well."

"How do you…forget that I asked." Seth replied and was sure that his Pap's had probably done a background check on every student in his school, after he was done with the teachers of course. "Anyway, I sorted that out and before you're getting the wrong ideas I'm still single and probably stay that way. No matter what Joe, Kitty or Matthew say."

"Why, what did they say?" Seto asked.

"Nothing of importance." Seth simply said and refused to believe that he just had to date that kid today just because everyone seemed to think they were supposed to be.

Seto watched him for another moment. They had nearly reached the mansion, "Fine, don't tell me." Seto said. "But I trust you to know if you can't handle this alone anymore and you know we're there don't you."

"Of course pap's." Seth tells him.

"Just one more question," Seto asked while they already drove through the gate towards the mansion. "Is it okay if I tell your dad about your stolen kiss and Jaden or would you rather talk to him yourself when you're ready."

"You would keep this from him?" Seth asked astonished.

"Of course," Seto answered, "You're my son and I would never betray your trust not even for Joey."

Seth looked at him for a moment and then said, "Go ahead and tell him, I actually thought you would anyway but I'm happy you asked first."

After that both exited the limousine to have Joey and Joe run towards them like usually. "Big brother," Joe cheered, "You're feeling better?"

"I'm fine." Seth answered, "I still have a little bit of a headache though."

"I told you not to look at the horizon." Joe said still smiling. "Was it today?"

"Was what today?" He asked her.

"I knew it is soon but I think it was now." She said cheerfully, "Did you see the fairy? You're treasure one?"

Seto grinned and said, "I wouldn't call that nothing of importance, it's rather very interesting." Seto said immediately assuming that this was what Seth had been talking about before. Joe must have predicted this meeting which meant his little son really was growing up rather fast.

"Please," Seth said, "Stop that nonsense my head is bad enough."

"You're still not well?" Joey asked worried.

"I'll be fine." Seth insisted, "But I think I go to bed, I'm really tired." After that he looked to Joe and said, "And I don't care what you see about this. I'm not just a dragon, I'm myself and I don't feel the way the dragon does."

Joe watches him for a moment and actually looks serious until a wide grin spreads over her face and she said, "That's great big brother, if you keep that up, I'll get a real dragon to play with." She hoped Seth would continue to refuse that his feelings where his own and separate them from himself thinking of the course for those feelings to be some sort of inner dragon. He clearly didn't understand that he was the dragon and if he kept this up, he might personify his emotions like Ryou had done with his memories coursing him to create a real dragon. She didn't know how to explain this though but she saw that it might happen. After that she looked at her Pappy and said, "I'm hungry let's eat."

Seto whispered something to Joey who gave a little grin before Seto said, "Come sweetheart lets go ahead if you're so hungry."

Seth was still standing out front rubbing his temples and wondering what on earth Joe was going on about now until Joey said, "So you had your first kiss? How was it?"

"Please don't pester me about this too." Seth mumbled. "My head really hurts."

Joey looked down for a second and by the time he looked back up he had his perfect puppy eyes in place. "Don't you like talking to your old dad anymore? Are V and Kitty so much cooler?"

Seth gave a sigh before he hugged his dad and climbed onto his lap. He started to tell him everything, only leaving out the part about what he had seen. He said he had looked into Joe's head but not how it looked inside. Joey did notice that but knew that if his puppy eyes hadn't forced him to talk about that, nothing could so he started with the problems he did know, "You know, the way ya describe what ya felt during the kiss. I think you really do love this Matthew."

"I don't." Seth said sounding slightly angered. "I really don't want too. Everyone says I should. Joe told me before I even knew him and he assumed me to like him because he is just like Lila and Joe and thinks the same thing as Joe does, about him and me, and then Kitty told me something about her eyes and what she sees and all that. I just don't want that. I'm not just this dragon Joe and Mattie see. I'm me I'm Seth Kaiba and not just a dragon and I don't want to be with someone just because they say I should be."

Joey listened to him rant and notice how shaken he must be to rant like that at all. He was sure that it had something to do with what he had seen that stopped him from accepting his own feelings but as long as he refused to talk about it, there was nothing Joey could do. "Listen Seth." He said wanting to help him a little. "You're right with one thing; don't do what everyone else is telling you to do. Don't go with Matthew because they said something. But I have the feeling that it's something else that causes your defiance for this prediction. And that isn't right either." Joey looked at him while Seth thought about it a moment. "Seth, take your time and listen to your heart okay? Not to others, neither to do something, but don't let it stop you from something just to defy them. What you feel, that's what's important. And no matter what you do with Matthew or Jaden. We'll all be right behind you okay? Just take your time and listen to your heart."

Seth gave a sigh and said, "Fine, but can I go to bed, looking into Joe's head is really a strain. Her room is clean compared to her mind and it's huge and so bright that your eyes burn from it. I really need to sleep."

"Of course, but let me walk you up." Joey said and held his hand, "You grow up way to fast so I have to enjoy your childhood while I can, and you should too, don't forget that."

Once Joe was done with her dinner too and in bed Joey walked towards Seto and told him what little he had found out. "You think he'll be alright?" Joey asked.

"I think so." Seto answered and moved an arm around his husband's waist guiding him towards their bedroom. "He's smart and strong and has good friends, apart from V."

Joey chuckled a little, "You won't forgive him to start with the leash in front of everyone will you?"

"Never", Seto answered, "Especially since Seth started about it."

"He did what?" Joey asked surprised, "What did he say?"

"He said that if he would take over the company it would give us more playtime and I might learn to put you on a leash instead of the other way around."

"Yeah like that's gonna happen." Joey said rolling his eyes. "But I wouldn't mind more playtime."

"So I should give Seth my job?" Seto asked with a seductive voice, "We could get a nanny for Joe and then have a late honeymoon."

"You have no idea how tempting that sounds," Joey said, "But it'll have to be a really late honeymoon since you're so not going to let him run anything on his own until he's at least done with college."

"So no more playtime?" Seto asked with a smile. He had known Joey would say that and agreed. Seth needed to keep his childhood even if it was forced onto him.

"Well, we can have some now," Joey suggested, "The kids are in bed." Joey gave him a heated kiss before he said, "And you're sure Seth will be fine."

"It isn't easy to have so much going on, but with the speed his mind is working, he'll have it figured out before the week is over." Seto said.

"Maybe, but this is emotional." Joey reminded him.

"I figured out my feelings for you faster than that." Seto told him. "And now stop worrying, he's a strong young man and know that we're behind him, let him grow up a little, he needs to learn to figure things out."

In the meantime Seth was still awake in bed and wondering if Mattie had a nicer evening.

The ride home was quieter than the one there, both of the Winstead brother's had many things flooding their minds. They were almost home when Mattie opened his mouth.

"I'm sorry for almost…you know I didn't…he hurt me so much big brother" The steam rising from Mattie's face was fogging the windows of the car thankfully V managed to get them home before they crashed. When the car was safely in the drive way V pulled his brother into his arms.

"Mattie I know it wasn't your fault and you know I would never hold anything like that against you, we're all the other has…we have to stick together so talk to me" V said happy his brother wasn't keeping this all in.

"Can I tell you after you tuck me in? I'm so tired" Mattie asked his eyes red from the tears.

"Sure you can sweetie" V said as he and his brother got out of the car.

When they made it to Mattie's room he hopped in bed and got comfy before he told his brother about the dream and what he saw. V wanted to tell his brother about Jaden and Seth's troubles but he couldn't betray the boy so he just let him talk. Mattie told his brother everything but left out how Seth had lied to him and how angry the other boy made him feel, he didn't want to worry his brother too much.

"Well Mattie just give him time it was a lot to take in I'm sure school tomorrow will go great" V said with a smile to try and cheer his brother up, he would have given him more advice but the boy was already asleep, he just tucked Mattie in and went to sleep himself.

On the next morning Seth was worried while he was in school it was almost snake time and Mattie still wasn't there. Seth had made sure not to scatter any books all over the empty table next to him and looked there longingly all the time. Even Jaden had already asked him if something was wrong but Seth had just said that he was fine.

Mattie knew he was late but he couldn't help it he was really nervous and he didn't sleep well last night…his dreams were haunted by those eyes. After V spent a full hour trying to calm him down at home sacrificing some furniture they were in the care on the way there. Mattie could remember Seth said he could sit with him but he wasn't so sure he could take it.

When they pulled up to the school V was about to get out to when Mattie stopped him, "I'm okay big brother you go get some more rest and all of your stuff done, and go give Lily a hug for me" Mattie gave his brother a fake smile and could tell he wasn't convincing him.

"Mattie I know you're worried but remember I believe in you and I know you can do this" V said with a smile. Mattie gave him a hug and hopped out of the car, V waiting until his brother was safely inside before he left.

Mattie had changed schools enough times to know how it goes. Once he was out of the office he went to his new class. When he entered the room the teacher made him introduce himself before finally asking him to take a seat next to Seth.

They were in the middle of snack time as Mattie approached Seth and another boy, he tried his hardest but couldn't stop himself from looking into Seth's amazing eyes…but once he caught the eyes of the other everything changed.


	18. Seth's Crimson Treasure Part 2

**Authors note from Violet-Eclipse and ****_Lily272_****: **_Finally, we did it, the chapter is finished. I can't believe how long it got, but it was so much fun to write that I just didn't want the story to end so I'm really, really sad now. *run into corner and cry.*_

Awe girl it's okay we can write more *pulls Lily of of the corner* smile girl think of the awesome Settie in this chapter:)

_And thanks to MikaHimura and kitty tokyo uzumaki for the reviews. We were both so happy to read them. *hug*_

We hope you like this part and would love more reviews from you guys they keep us going:) Love you all!

**Seth's Crimson Treasure Part 2**

It was just like the dream except this was real, the pain was back but it was joined by anger and the icky green monster. Before Mattie knew what he was doing the papers on Jaden's desk caught fire as most of the drink cans around him boiled and some exploded. Mattie felt the sadness and pain take him over he managed to slowly walk to his seat the drinks surrounding him turning to ice.

The second Seth saw Mattie's face change he knew that something was wrong and already had grabbed his own drink just in case. It was just his luck that the fire started on Jaden's table that way he could just drop it over the fire right away. It was already half frozen but the fire took care of that. Once that was taken care of he took Matties hand and squeezed it a little and whispered "It's okay Matthew, I'm here." Seth focused only on Mattie's eyes hoping to see him calm down a little.

Mattie heard the voice and felt his touch…he was so confused. What did Seth want? Mattie looked up into the boys eyes and saw something that he only saw in his dreams…glancing over he saw that the boy called Jaden was fine…so Seth had gone to him first…he wouldn't let the boy play him so easily again. For his brother Mattie tried really hard and managed to stop the cans from exploding, he would never admit it now but having Seth hold his hand and act like he wanted him helped.

Once Seth was reasonably sure that Mattie had calmed down he turned towards the teacher to cover up for Mattie. "I think you need to get the heating system checked really fast. Neither of my fathers will like to hear of this." He didn't usually threaten any teachers with his fathers but he needed to help Mattie and distract everyone from what just happened. "It can't be that some drinks freeze while others burn and even some papers just catch fire! What on earth is going on in this school?" Once again Seth squeezed Mattie's hand afraid that him talking about what happened might set him off and happy that he could hold his hand. The draw he had felt the day before was still there and at least as strong as before if not even stronger. "You also should excuse the class to go to the playground this room is full with smoke do you know what can happen if it gets into our lungs?"

Seth was happy that it wasn't his favorite teacher who had to answer, "Of course I get right onto it while you kids go outside please right away and leave everything inside please. Don't waste time and hurry outside."

Once they had left the room Seth whispered towards Mattie, "Mattie, are you all right?"

Mattie ranched his arm from the boy "don't call me that! You made it perfectly clear that you don't want me and I get it…who would?" Mattie had to stay strong even though the pain was making it hard. "I get it okay" Mattie whispered, "you want who I was…someone worthy of you…someone who could go out without risk of killing people…I get that now" and before Seth could speak Mattie began to walk away. "I can't be around you Seth…it hurts too much" Mattie said as the steam rose from his eyes. He turned and walked away before he could do anymore damage.

Seth looked after Mattie when he left him standing there, he wanted to go after him, he wanted to tell him how wrong he was, but he feared that until he had figured out what he wanted and why he felt the need to be close everything he said would only hurt him more so he decided to follow his wish an keep a little distance between them for now, even though Seth didn't really want that anymore. It didn't take long until Jaden was next to Seth, "That was wicked and the best part is we get to play during class. I wonder what happened though, do you know?"

"I have no idea," Seth lied to Jaden for the first time knowing that he had no choice, to protect Mattie came first. While he continued his walk outside his eye's never left Mattie.

"You know that kid don't you?" Jaden asked after the break had officially started, "What was his name again?"

"He's my secretary's younger brother." Seth replied, "And his name is Matthew but I'm sure you can call him Matt. Most people do that."

Seth watched a few kids walk closer to Mattie and hoped that it meant he would make some friends even though he disliked one girl in that mix in particular. About the rest, which where all boys, he knew next to noting apart from one of the guys being her three years older brother. "You've got the hots for him don't you?" Jaden asked but by then Seth wasn't listening. The brother of that stupid annoying girl dared to grab Mattie roughly by his shirt. Seth felt like he was going to explode and in the same moment the whole earth beneath him started to shake a little while the wind got much stronger. For a split second he thought it was just a regular weak earthquake but then he noticed that it was different. "Wow, you're eyes are glowing." Seth heard Jaden say but that didn't matter. He could feel it. He felt it all. Every grain of sand, every stone, every plant and even every leave on said plants, he felt the birds fly on the wind and all the animals that walked around him, even the tiniest bug that was crawling hidden by some leaves in a corner of the playground. It took less than five seconds for the earth to stop shaking and to return to normal but for Seth nothing was normal, he still felt it; he felt the power and the strength flow through his veins. But most of all he could feel Mattie; he felt his heat, his strength as well as his fear…and pain.

Mattie knew that when the group approached him that it wasn't going to be good, yes Mattie knew he could defend himself but he searched his head for a reason and came up empty…maybe this was meant to happen…maybe he deserved it for everything he's done. All he did was close his eyes and wait for it to come.

Seth still saw nothing but the kids that where much too close to Mattie. He walked over in the time the kids needed to calm after the earthquake that had been like any other. It had frightened them but not enough to stop picking on the new kid. The boy that had grabbed Mattie before and let go when the earth had started to move was about to grab him again but by then Seth was there and held on to the boy's wrist. "Don't you agree that it is not very smart to anger someone who's stronger?"

The boys laughed while the one Seth held onto said, "Of course I agree, which is why that kid is going to get it, he pissed me of by picking on my sister. And unless you want to get your tiny little ass kicked you better walk away while you still can walk."

Seth put one and one together in record time and knew that this annoying spoiled girl saw Mattie as a threat, since Seth had held his hand and been there for him, and wanted to get him out of the way. "I understand what you're saying, but you obviously didn't understand what I said." Seth said and he knew that his eyes that had stopped glowing the moment the earth had stopped shaking were glowing again, "He is mine, and no one touches what's MINE!" Seth added and with that the earth moved again but this time it wasn't an earthquake. It was a wave, going from between Seth and the boy he held onto all the way to the back of the group of kids. Seth had let go of the wrist to avoid falling with the rest of them to the ground. Seth just looked down to the one that had dared to tough Mattie and said, "If I see you as much as looking at him, I swear by all that's holly, it will be the last thing you do." Seth's voice had been calm but threateningly in its quiet way.

The kids ran away calling for the teachers, who had been efficiently distracted before by some bees Seth had sent just for that reason. By now everything looked like it should again and Seth, who was sure that no one in his right mind would believe them, turned to Mattie who's hair was a mess after the wind Seth had produced even though the black hair from Seth himself was still lying perfectly. Seth stretched out one hand very careful and afraid of scarring the boy after his display of power. After gently putting his hair in order and moving his hand once over his cheek, very careful as if one wrong movement could break the fragile boy Seth said, "Don't dare to leave my sight during school again. If you dare to risk getting hurt by leaving me I swear that I will put you on a leash was that clear?"

Seth's actions were so confusing; Mattie's heart felt like it had been torn and then stitched back together only to be torn open again. Seth's hands touching his skin felt so nice and…right, but being noble and saving him did not excuse the pain the boy had put him through. "What is going on with you? Did nothing I said sink in? And what was all that mine crap? I know you don't want me so stop making it so hard for me…I know you want him" Mattie said shifting his eyes in Jaden's direction.

Seth watched the boy's face when he said those words and it stung Seth to see his pain but Seth also knew that said sting was well deserved. He had coursed Mattie a lot of pain and feared that he would only course more but the least he could do was being honest. "Do you really know all that?" Seth asked, "Because yesterday morning I would have agreed without any hesitation but right now, I don't even know who I am anymore. There are a lot of things you don't know about me and all of them happened at once and you most certainly don't want to know any of that so stop pushing me and give me some time."

After that Seth moved one arm carefully around Mattie's waist and pulled him back to from where Seth had come from before Mattie would have a chance to deny him his request for time. Jaden was still standing where Seth had dropped his book to help Mattie and was still awestruck when he said, "That was wicked. Can you teach me to do that?"

Seth glared at him for a moment but said, "It was nothing and no you do not have the ability to learn that. And now, what where we talking about again?"

"About that huge crush ya got on him." Jaden said pointing towards Mattie.

"Change of topic." Seth ordered, still having one arm around Mattie, he really didn't want to discuss that with Jaden, especially when Mattie was right next to him.

The feeling of being in Seth's arms was indescribable, Mattie just felt like he belonged there…and every cell in his body wanted to stay there but the growing pain within him refused to let him rest. Seth had a chance once again to prove Mattie's suspicions wrong but like always he refused. Trapped in the grip Seth had him in Mattie went over every part of himself and tried to find out what was wrong. His curse had grown stronger now, the new torcher it bestowed on him was worse than anything else. Whenever Mattie closed his eyes he was haunted by images of he and Seth, they looked slightly different in every one but one thing remained the same Seth loved him…just what was it this time that made him so unlovable?

Seth noticed the look of pain on Mattie's face and said before Jaden could start another topic, "Matthew, please contact V and ask for permission to stay the afternoon with me and maybe sleep over, I would feel much better if you stayed close for a little longer just to make sure you're safe from them and that they don't try to get to you when I'm not around. If you don't, I will get him to give permission understood."

Seth didn't really know why he did all this. Part of him was sure that the dragon had taken over and that all that power had been from him but it felt more like it was himself. And one thing he knew, no matter what he felt, or rather for whom, he needed to keep Matthew safe. It was just as important as Joe's safety. Which reminded him, he hadn't even seen her during break. He looked around to see her happily playing in some mud. She looked at him like she could feel his eyes on her and then she smiled waving her arms in the air before she placed her dirty hands close to her mouth to throw a huge kiss over to him. Seth smiled a little again, at least she had stopped pushing him one way or another, she seemed to understand what he needed and left him his time. It didn't really surprise him though, they had a connection that Mattie couldn't have with him, but he had it with V which only coursed Seth to feel more angry at his friend even though he knew he shouldn't.

There was no more denying it, it was the only thing that made sense it wasn't Seth …it was him. Seth's request woke Mattie from his trance; he wiggled out of Seth's grip and walked over beside a tree to call his brother. Seth eyes left his sister the second Mattie freed himself from his arm and he watched him like a hawk.

"Man I'm still there ya know?" Jaden wined a little, "Are we at least gonna play a little when he's done with the talking?"

"Why not." Seth agreed hardly listening. He was busy using a fragment of his powers to sense Mattie's heat and confusion.

"Hello Violet, Seth asked me to stay at his house all night okay?" Mattie didn't have the energy to hide his inner struggles from his brother.

"Matthew Crimson Winstead! You tell me what's wrong right now!" V was so scared he'd never heard his brother so…broken.

"I figured it out V that's all, why he doesn't want me…I'm the problem not him" Mattie leaned ageist the tree for support he didn't feel well at all.

"Mattie there's nothing wrong with you he just has a lot going on right now you'll see things will get better". V was truly scared for his brother he's never talked like this before.

"V will you promise me something?" Mattie knew he couldn't stay conscious for much longer but he needed his brother to do this for him.

"Sure Mattie, anything" V was wondering where the hell Seth was.

"I'm about to take another nap and Seth will most likely come pick up the phone and tell you that he'll take care of me…I need you to let him. I need to use this night to find out what's wrong…I promise I'll call you tomorrow okay? Do you promise?" Mattie's vision began to blur.

"I promise Mattie" V heard the phone drop and waited patiently for Seth to pick up the phone.

Seth saw the green eyes of his boy close and already summoned up a strong wind that would keep him from falling to the ground before he would be there to catch him. "Matthew what's wrong?" He asked worried and gave him a little shake hoping he'd come by while he reached for Mattie's phone with one hand. "V what's wrong with him and don't you dare to tell me it's secret."

"It's not a secret, I just promised I wouldn't tell you", V said hating he had to lie to the boy. "You can take him to your place, he's fine he just needs rest…Seth I know you have a lot going on but I recommend you tackle this issue first". V truly wished he could tell the boy more but he couldn't betray his brother's trust.

Seth tried to calm his nerves by taking a few really deep breath and then he said with a voice that was more fitting for a machine then a living being, "I'll tell him, I'll make it better, I'll tell him my biggest secret, then he'll be better." Seth said and was quiet for a moment to take one more deep breath while he takes out his own phone to turn the volume all the way down just in case V would dare to pester him with questions after what he was about to say. "Once he'll know I organize a driver to take him back to you because he won't want to stay close to me anymore, he'll hate me just as much as I hate myself. But then again, maybe he'll hate me enough to let me die." With that Seth just ended the call and turned the phone off completely. He send V one more massage saying, _If you don't want to see me after Matthew tells you about my secret, feel free to stay home. I'll cover up for you as long as I can but I guess you should start looking for another job then. And thanks for everything_

Seth's phone blinked immediately after but he ignored it and called his dad, "I need you, please pick me up."

Joey palled after hearing Seth's lifeless voice and said, "I'm running kiddo, but please what's wrong with you."

"I'm fine," Seth said deciding to talk with Mattie later that night. He should have a little break to recover from whatever caused him to fall asleep on his feet this time. "A friend of mine is unwell and he'll stay the night."

"Did something happen to Jaden?" Joey asked confused that Jojo would leave the boy out of his sight if that was the case.

"No." Seth said, "Jaden is fine. Please, just come as fast as you can, but drive careful." Seth ended the call again afraid that Joey might drive while holding on to his phone otherwise. He picked up Mattie noticing from the corner of his eyes that Joe was next to him.

"He'll be fine." She said, "I wanna do makeovers with him later."

"Don't." Seth ordered her more sternly than ever before, "Leave him be, he's been through a lot."

"I know," She said, "But I gotta play with him. Don't worry, he's gonna smile again soon."

Seth gives a sigh certain that she was right, once Mattie understood why Seth wasn't meant for him he would get over him and find someone better. Seth used a little of his power to let the wind help him carry the boy. He wondered if Mattie should be this easy to carry because his power was stronger than he thought or if Mattie needed more nutrition and would make sure to talk to V about that at the very least. Best right after Mattie left and before they could talk.

Seth walked past Jaden towards the parking lot before school. "Tell your mother that Mattie fainted and that I'll be taking him home with me. His legal guardian is informed and I guess Joe is going to join me."

"Sure I am." She said jumping happily up and down. "I wanna play with the red fairy."

"What red fairy?" Jaden asked.

"Not now Jaden," Seth told him "I'll tell you eventually."

Seth continued to leave distracting the teachers in the process using constantly different aspects of his own power. While standing at the parking lot and noticing everything around him due to his powers he noticed that he felt noting from a little puddle and asked Joe who was still standing next to him, "You could do this for longer couldn't you?"

"Do what?" She asked, "Because I can't do anything you can do."

"I mean you can do similar things with the water." Seth explained.

Next he saw the puddle move slowly towards her, "Is he warm again? I could cool him with water?"

"I guess he's fine." Seth replied, "Just please leave him alone."

"No." She stated, "I can't leave him because then he's gonna cry and I like your red fairy. He's really old you know, much older than Lila."

"He's five." Seth pointed out, "Lila is is 17."

"But the purple lived only in Egypt and now and your red fairy lived many more years." Joe said grinning.

Seth gave a sigh. It explained a lot. And it also explained why it hurt Mattie so much that he needed time, he probably remembers a little too, just like Lila, maybe not as clearly since it might get as cramped in his head as in Joe's.

Seth saw his dad stop his BMW in front of him. and Joe opened to door without needing to be prompted and climbed in. Joey was already next to Seth and asked "Are you okay? Can I help you?" Seth saw him move his hand to help his son with the heavy burden he held.

"Leave it." Seth said, "I got him, just please drive us home. He needs some rest."

"Who is the kid?" Joey asked.

"Matthew," Seth said with a slight blush that only increased after seeing his father understanding look. "You can probably call him Matt, most people do that."

Seth managed to move the limp body gently into the car. Joey got in too and drove them home quietly. He had tons of questions but thought it might be better to talk to Seth when he could get him alone. Joey watched him hold on the boy in his arms like he was just as fragile as a bubble and Seth's eyes never really left the boy. Once they were back Joey tried once more to help Seth carry the child and said, "Come on kiddo let me carry him, you're gonna hurt your back."

Seth looked up at him, his eyes glowing ever so slightly and said, "He's as light as a feather dad, so don't worry."

Joey stared at him for a moment and then heard Joe say, "Daddy look here." He looked at her and saw her blue eyes glow a tiny bit as well, but in her case he wasn't as surprised, he had thought a few times while giving her a bath that they had glowed a little but usually done it off as a trick of the light until he had heard about Lila and assumed that it was a shine thing. He saw his daughter look down and then noticed how water seemed to be appearing out of nowhere around her feet. "Let me guess, you drowned the bathroom on purpose?"

"It's fun to play with you daddy, and you always look so funny when you look at the bathroom after my bath." She said cheerfully and Joey gave a sigh.

Joey gave it up to try and understand how her brain works. He smiled at her and said, "Don't tell Pap's he'll get mad."

"Not if I puppy eye him." She said, "No one can beat puppy eye power!"

"I can beat puppy eye power." Joey replied with a grin.

"No." Joe insisted grinning also, "Ya just got stronger puppy powers."

Joey rolled his eyes mumbling, "Stupid dog comments."

Seth was already through the door by then and carried Mattie into his own room to place him on his bed. After that he told a maid to prepare a room for his guest for the night. By the time he had done that Joe walked in and started to sing a lullaby for her brother's fairy to help him relax a little.

She sang until Seth had fallen asleep on a chair next to the bed before she left to play a little. By the time Mattie woke up Seth was still asleep.

When Mattie's eyes fell on Seth he felt the mixture of pain and joy fill him. The boy looked exhausted and unwell and Mattie knew he was the cause of the boy's trouble. Mattie hoped off the bed and pulled Seth into his arms Mattie wanted nothing more than to just return to his dreams with the boy in his arms but he scared Seth enough the past two days. He made sure the boy was comfy before slowly stepping away from the bed.

Joe returned from her playing while Mattie was stepping back, "I wanna play." She said quiet, to not wake her brother, "And I gotta show you something, something really nice and if you want my brother to like you, you'll come with me."

Seeing his best friend again was just what Mattie needed he wanted to run and hug the girl but stopped himself worried she wouldn't know who he is. Mattie was trying to think of how he should react to the girl he was just a stranger.

Joe didn't leave Mattie much of a choice and just pulls him along. "And be quiet a dragon is grumpy after waking up."

She ran with him into her room and crawled under her bed before climbing up a table to look on-top of a higher shelf. "I know it's here somewhere." She mumbled while jumping from the table and running into the wardrobe where she pulled out all the clothing that was lying at the bottom. "I know it's somewhere." She mumbled and looked around the room before she ran to her bed and pulled all of her teddies down to see if it's somewhere in the mix. After that she ran from one corner to the next to look through everything that was lying there to find whatever she looked for. Once she was done with that she stood in the middle of the room again and said looking at Mattie, "I know it's somewhere." She thought about it for a moment and then said, "Oh I forgot I showed it to pappy." She was out of the door in seconds and turned around to look at Mattie, "What are you waiting for; we'll only be able to play until my dragon brother wakes up, he's really possessive when he likes something. He always hides the best toys where I don't find them." Then she was running away again. She passed Joey in the hallway and said, "Hi daddy," Not stopping and just before she was around the corner she said, "Bye daddy."

Joey looked after her and asked, "Where are you two going."

"Play daddy," She shouted back without stopping, "Don't worry I ain't breaking anything. At least, I try not to."

Joey gave a sigh and let them be, the boy looked a little better and a bit of play time with his little sunshine might help but he would stay close just in case, who knew what Joe was thinking up right now.

The next room she entered was a huge music room where Seto had played something for her on the piano when she had shown it to him. Once inside she ran to the grand piano that was in a corner and crawled under it. From all the way back in the corner she pulled out a big box and ran back to Mattie. "Look I found it. I got it from Aunty Rain. That's my godmother." She grinned at Mattie and held up a brand new kids tea set in her had.

He smiled at the girl this was bringing back wonderful memories for him, he just wished she could remember to. He rolled his eyes at the girl's antics she hasn't changed a bit in the years they've known each other…and it's a lot of years.

"Come let's play," She said and ran back towards her room, but in the door of the music room she turned around and added, "Then we can talk like big people about my brother." Her eyes where alight, not the glow that came with her powers, it was excitement. "I've been waiting for so long to talk to big brother's red fairy, I missed you!"

Mattie was so happy, she remembered him but before he could get a chance to tell he remembered too she was out of the room in a flash. Joe ran to tell her dad that the boy was with her if Seth came looking for his red fairy.

Once In Joe's room she placed five cups around the tea pot and put a stuffed white dragon in front of the first one and said "That's my daddy." Then she put the black dragon from Seth next to it. Seth had managed to gain permission to leave the teddy during school hours with her other teddies for company since teddies aren't allowed in school. Luckily for Seth Miss Shamer had backed him up. "That's Pappy, oh and it's my brothers stuffy." Then she pulled a small little plant from the hallway to place it next to the black dragon but after a second thought she moved it next to the white one. And said, "Sorry I don't have a Violate leaf dragon so this'll have to do for your brother, I think he likes daddy more than pappy, or rather, daddy likes him more than pappy does. You can sit next to V." Then she set down on the floor next to the black dragon and started to pretend to pour water into the cups of the stuffed dragons and the plant. After that she started to move the pot over to Mattie and said, "If it's too cold you'll need to heat it up." And then Water came out of the pot. After that she pours it into her own one and looked at it slightly upset, "I like Ice tea better." She held her cup with water out to Mattie and asked, "Can you cool it please?"

Mattie smiled at her "I remember my wonderful bestie, it's nice to know you haven't changed a bit" he said as he pressed his finger to her cup to cool her tea. Things were beginning to feel like they should but even with Joe back he still needed Seth more than anything.

She smiled at him and after drinking a sip she said, "Off course you do, you're a fairy, a shine soul. we always remember things, it just starts getting fuzzy to tell apart what happened when and where and things get lost. But we always remember. Just shadows don't. You need to remind him on things, the important ones at least. But just because he isn't remembering doesn't mean he ain't loving ya. You're suppose to be his and he noticed your desert before he saw you. He feels it I know he does, he's just being stubborn. You've been with big brother in every life haven't you? You really like him. And he likes you." She said and moved the cup of the black dragon to its lips like it was drinking before she added, "I'm sorry I let him get grumpy right before he met you, but don't worry, he'll be fine soon, he just needs to get it."

Mattie wanted to ask questions but he knew the girl to well she would only smile at him and give him a response that meant he will eventually know. Mattie wanted to talk to her about his revelation that it wasn't Seth's fault it was his but he knew she would try and talk him out of it.

"That the horizon is moving because of him I mean." She said after a moment, "He's pushing it away because he's so strong, it would have happened long ago but he just keeps pushing, and the picture is the way, because if someone else did it, he'd be stopping that someone. And no one can beat big brother, I think I never told ya but he's the strongest and oldest shadow soul. You're getting quiet old too though. And you're getting stronger, just like I do. And now don't worry about Seth, he'll calm down once he gets it again, he's just freaking out like always when he sees the horizon in my head." She moved the cup of the white dragon to his lips and asked, "V don't you want any tee? That reminds me, the leaf dragon's worried, and you better give him a call and tell him that once you'll help Seth get over this he'll be all over you! Kay?"

Mattie knew calling his brother would be pointless he knows when to expect his call but he decided to text him anyway he knew better than not to listen to Joe. When Mattie picked up his cell he wondered why it was turned off. He tried multiple times to try and turn it on again but nothing worked, he pulled off the back and was surprised to find his battery was gone.

After that Seth entered the room and said with a mild glare to Joe, "What are you doing?"

"Tea party." She said, "Wanna join? Oh and I didn't play makeovers since you said no but I still think he would look good with lipstick and eye-shadow.

Mattie could feel himself blush and began to get scared but Joe gave him a look that said everything was fine and he didn't fight it. The fires that Mattie pictured starting were turning to steam. Joe already felt the water in the air heat up and raised the amount of water in everything ensuring her room to stay untouched by fire. She jumped up looked around at the steam and then jumped happily up and down shouting, "I got a sauna, I got a sauna! Matt you're the greatest."

"Joe how about you play a little with daddy, Matthew and I still have homework to do." Seth said trying to sound friendly. He really didn't want to hurt his sister's feelings.

"Sure." She said and looked to Mattie adding, "Told ya he wants ya to only play with him." After that she ran out of the room to find her daddy and Seth takes Mattie's hand and pulls him out of her room and walked back towards his where the school bags are standing. Jojo had been kind enough to drop them by after leaving school herself since she knew that if Seth just runs of like that with the new kid, something was wrong, she did however give V a call just to double check that everything would be all right and to ask if she should bring Matthews school bag to the Kaiba mansion or to him.

Once they were in Seth's room Seth started to take his homework out. He wasn't sure how to talk to the young boy next to him.

The pain Mattie felt was rising again and getting worse. The ink in Seth's pen froze and when Mattie realised what he did he couldn't take it anymore he stood up and tried to run from the room but Seth had locked the door.

"Will you just let me go! It was easy for you to do before!" Mattie said he hated being mad at Seth is felt wrong to every part of him but what could he do. Mattie never noticed how upset he was getting "I know it's me okay! There's something wrong with me! Maybe I was just a trial run and he is the one you're supposed to be with…he is a hero after all" Mattie's knee's gave way and a ring of fire started to burn around him.

Seth is rubbing his temples again. He hadn't slept at all last night because his head had been too full with thoughts about Mattie. He fought to stay calm though, unwilling to scare Mattie with a negative reaction towards his talent. "Please I promise not to get closer but try to turn of the flames. It scares me to see them around you."

Mattie looked at him his eyes had gone dull, he made the flames smaller just in case the boy got ideas. Mattie hated seeing the boy like this, Seth looked scared and Mattie wanted more then anything to crawl into his arms but he would only get hurt again and he knew he couldn't take much more pain. "Seth just let me leave! There's no reason for me to be here anymore!", Mattie wished more then anything that this wasn't true.

"There is a reason, I need you to hear me out please. I guess I'm right with the assumption that when you talked about a hero before you meant Jaden. If not feel free to correct me anytime." Seth said while he watched his face to see if he was correct before he continued. "I didn't want to tell you yet, but it seems like I can't keep you around a little longer after all. Not even until the morning. It isn't because of you. But this has nothing to do with Jaden either." Seth answers, "Everyone keeps telling me that I should be with you, but I can't be with you. I can't be with anyone and won't ever date anyone. I simply don't deserve that, not with what I'll be doing one day. Matthew, I'll be the one to destroy everything. And I can't stop it, I tried to stop one of Joe's predictions, but I seem unable to do it" Seth knew that he had lost that fight, Joe had been right, Jaden was further away already. He didn't love Jaden after all, and by now Seth was sure of that. He longed solemnly for that boy over there by the door.

"Liar!" Mattie sad the steam rising from his eyes as the flames grew larger. "You may not remember everything but i do! And I already know that! You've told me so many times and I still love you okay!" Mattie had to move his eyes away from Seth he couldn't bare to see the rejection in the boys eyes. "I stuck by you all of those other times knowing what you may do someday and like all the other times I'll tell you again your strong and I believe in you always have and I always will...even when you choose the hero". Mattie hugged his knees into his chest and rested his head on them.

Seth stared at him in disbelieve. Unable to believe that Mattie could truly still care for him? "Please lower the flames, I'm begging you. And didn't I just tell you that it has nothing to do with Jaden. And how can you love me, I'll be the end of the world, it be much better if I didn't exist so the world could go on for ever. But more importantly, why are you calling me a liar, I've never lied to you." Seth asked confused.

Mattie looked up and the fire grew stronger "Everything is better when your around! The world is never nice to me you always were, how can I not love you?" Mattie lowered the flames "You just lied when you said you can't be with anyone! You've been with me before!" then Mattie finally understood "Your sick of me...that's it we've been together to long...I'm a pain and not worth the trouble? or is it that I'm to annoying..." The pain grew and Mattie began to feel cold again. The ring of fire disappeared as fast as it came and Mattie was left there in the ashes shivering. "What's wrong with me? What did I do to deserve this?" the questions weren't meant for Seth or anyone really Mattie knew he would never know the answer.

Seth couldn't believe that he might still have a chance, that Mattie could still love him. But that didn't matter, Seth could see the pain on his face, even if he wasn't good enough, if Mattie still loved him and needed him he would have to do something to help him, even if it meant to doom him by being with a monster like him. "Silly boy." He said looking as calm as only Seth can look in such a situation. Fighting his own despair while he watched Mattie. "How can you claim to know me and not understand what happened? How can you claim to have lived by my side for god knows how many years, to know my darkest secret and not know what had happened here? It's true, I had a crush on Jaden but honestly don't you see what was going on? I'm different from everyone, no one ever really understood me I grew up in an orphanage with Joe, fighting to protect her, trying to get a home and you don't even want to know how hard it was to get this because as you should know dragons are stubborn and Joey and Seto both are dragons and simply refused to talk about their feelings for so long that I nearly gave up.  
But most of all, I'm not like you and Joe. I don't know what's going to happen and what is still coming. I didn't know that you where somewhere looking for me. I just knew that I never fitted in anywhere and probably never will be like others. In school I don't fit because I'm smarter and more mature then anyone else and at work I don't fit because I'm still a child. No matter what I do no one sees me as a grown up. Your brother excepts it better then others but even he tried to keep me out of trouble recently like I'm just some kid. I just don't fit. The only person I've known until now who didn't give a damn about how smart I am or how old and just wanted to play with me and be around me was Jaden. He was, for a while, the only one I could count on. Dad and Pap's tried to help me take care of Joe so I could be a kid but I'm not some kid. I'm different. Jaden was all I had so of course I liked him and grew found of him, wanted to be around him and I still do want that and need that. You, Joe everyone around me seems to be different now days but still I'm the monster who has to live knowing that I exist to destroy, and it's just all getting too much. And I'm sorry but I mistook that feeling of comfort I got around him for a feeling of love for awhile but I know know that it isn't. I'm not lying here!  
Matthew the second I saw the desert in Joe's mind where I just know you life in her head I felt a longing for that place. The second I saw your face standing in the door of my office I wanted to have you near me forever. The second I heard your voice for the first time I wanted to have you in my arms and when you were and kissed me I wanted to tie you up and lock you up in my room and never let you go again, like the monster I am.  
I'm sorry I freaked out but I've seen myself destroy the world just a little earlier that day and then Jaden was starting to flirt with a girl that had send love letters to me. Threatening to trample on the feelings of the one person I feel normal around and sure I wanted to protect him too and then you showed up and I freaked out. I ran away and was sitting in the bathroom on the floor and you must know that it isn't like me at all."  
Seth was talking faster and faster the more he got into his ranting. But the truly amazing aspect was that with every word a tiny part of his mask seemed to fall off and by now it was already clear that he was everything but calm and the storm was just starting to be visible. "I didn't know what to do so I wanted to do nothing and after talking to someone I knew I should have said something right away but I didn't want to hurt you. When I saw I had I wanted to make it better but didn't know how! I was still confused and had just too much on my mind so I said I needed time and some space but I already knew that my feelings for Jaden were different from what I felt for you and with every second I thought about you it got stronger. When Jaden flirted I was worried about him getting hurt, but I can't even imagine you being close to someone because I wouldn't let that happen I couldn't. When you passed out in my office V touched your head and I wanted to rip every single one of his fingers out and he's your brother and my friend and yet, every time I hear him call you Mattie I want to strangle him and make sure that he'll never again gets to do that because he said only special persons are allowed to call you that and I want to be special to you I want to be the only one who's special to you. I know why you're jealous on Jaden because I'm even more jealous about your brother but please get it into your head that Jaden, even though I like him, he means less to me then your brother probably means to you.  
How do you think I'd react if it was some stupid girl that I dislike anyway that got close to you in any form. If you really know me as well as you say you do, why don't you see that I can get confused too and that I simply needed to notice myself what I'm feeling. Why don't you see that if anyone or anything was a test run here it was my crush on Jaden.  
Why don't you know that no matter how many lives we have, no matter how many people I meat before you and no matter how distant I am due to reasons depending on the circumstances. That no matter how I behave before I figure out what it means that my hearts racing when I see you that it hurts like hell when you walk away from me or don't look at me, and no matter how long it takes to figure all that out, I have always loved you I'm loving you now and I will always love you. And no one else will ever mean as much to me as you do and now the key to that damned door is in that drawer next to the door. But even though I promised not to come closer I'm begging you...I need you close to me" And with that he starches his arms out toward him with a begging, longing look that showed how much pain it coursed him that Mattie was a few steeps away instead of lying in his arms and how much he feared him walking out of the door. His masks were gone, all of them.

Without even thinking Mattie ran into Seth's arms and cried, he needed this so bad and nothing even came close to how good it felt to have it. The pain slowly became a dull throb before completely leaving him, while Seth hands moved nearly automatically into his soft hair to play with it, Mattie moved his head from Seth's chest and looked the boy in the eye. Seth's mask was gone and Mattie could see how much he loved him, before Mattie could talk Seth pulled him in for a kiss and it was so amazing. The last kiss they shared Mattie had be doing everything but now Seth had control and he had longed for too long for his little treasure to hold back and he felt the need to make up for lost time. When they pulled apart for air Mattie knew he had to say something. "Seth I'm so sorry, I love you too so much. I was just worried that you would get tired of me, your so amazing and strong while I can't even control my powers anymore" Mattie buried himself in Seth chest again, "I missed this so much, you said that it's hard for you not to remember but believe me knowing what this is like and the chance of not having it again hurts, I need you Seth more then you need me. V is my brother and I love him but I can't live without you...your my dragon". Mattie hugged into the boy and felt the steam rise again. He held onto the boy tightly, a small part of him still felt like if he let go he'd wake up alone again, "Seth this isn't a dream right because i don't think i could handle opening my eyes right now and you not being here" Mattie asked his voice shaky from crying.

Seth couldn't help but smile at the young boy in his arms and said, "There's one way to find out for sure." He stood up and held Mattie on his arms, carrying him to his own bed for the second time that day and said, "And considering how exhausted you look I really think you should try to sleep right now, and don't worry, I promise I'll be here when you wake up. After that I get you whatever you want for dinner before we talk some more. There are a few really important things I want to tell you my treasure. But no need to worry, I'll never leave your side again." This time Seth simply refused to wait on a chair until Mattie would wake up and simply lay next to him and held him close and made sure he would stay quiet until he slept by kissing him as soon as he opened his mouth.

After Mattie had fallen asleep he felt the ashes from Mattie's fire disappear into nothingness. He looked over there and saw water wash over it and carry it out through a crack under the still locked door and Seth could feel the empty space move outside until he felt that the ashes had mingled with the earth outside and the water gone deeper into the earth. After that was gone Seth could feel the burned but now clean wood. He used his power to heal the wood and soon his room was in perfect condition. He smiled happy that this way he and Joe could always cover up for Mattie until he learned to control it. And Seth was sure he would learn that soon, he had absolute faith in him and would make sure to tell him at the right time.

Little did the two boys know that Seto had arrived back at the mansion. Joe was the first to welcome her Pappy home by running right into his arms. "Pappy my bestest friend in the whole wide world is there. He can stay tonight can't he? Daddy said he could."

Seto looked into huge watery blue eyes with a begging look he knew all to well, "No need to pull up Puppy eye's. I don't mind at all. But he's not going to stay in your room since he's a boy and not your brother. Understood?"

Joe chuckled and said, "Don't worry, Seth wouldn't have any of that either."

"I bet he wouldn't." Seto replied, "He's very protective about you isn't he?"

"He is." Joe admitted, "But in this case it's not about me."

Seto looked confused. "It's about the boy." Joey helped him out. He had come out in the meantime and used this moment to steal a short kiss from his husbands lips. "Joe grew rather found of Matt, you know, V's little brother."

"The guy who kissed Seth?" Seto asked in a whisper not knowing how much Joe knew.

"Exactly that boy." Joey confirmed. "Seems like today it was Matt who fainted in school."

"How is Seth doing?" Seto asked worried since his son had been rather out of it the day before.

"He was worried and is currently doing his homework with Matt." Joey told him.

"No they're not." Joe told him. "Oh and we need to bring dinner up, Seth and his treasure will be too sleepy to come down."

"Then what are they doing that's making them that sleepy?" Seto asked with a smile.

"Seth locked the door to get to sleep with him." Joe stated calmly.

Joey and Seto looked at one another for a moment and both thought the same thing, _They can't be doing that can they?_ But they knew how mature Seth was and considering that Matt had been the one to steal their son's first kiss at such a young age, they both started to run towards the boy's room.

On the way Joey got out a spare key he had for emergencies and unlocked the door as soon as they where there while Seto told Joe to wait outside and not to look inside. The door flew open and both males where relieved to see Matthew and Seth sleep soundly in each others arms.

"What's so bad about sleeping?" Joe asked confused.

"Nothing," Seto said with a slight blush, "We just wanted to see how cute it looks."

The three left again and went to have dinner themselves before Joe said, "We need to bring something up."

"I don't know." Seto said, "We should make sure that Matthew sleeps in another room."

"Why?" Joe asked, "They're both boys."

"Because it still is better at times." Joey simply said.

"But then they won't sleep." Joe said, "The dragon and his treasure always sleep in one bed once they find each other."

Both of her fathers look at her slightly confused until Joey said, "I think it's not too bad for one night anyway. We can discus the rest with Seth in peace tomorrow."

"Fine." Seto answered slightly unhappy.

"Trust me Seto," Joey said, "I don't like this anymore then you do."

"Why?" Joe asked confused, "They're happy, why don't you like that?"

"Oh we like that they're happy sweety," Joey told her and pulled her onto his lap. "But it also tells us that Seth is already a very big boy and growing up so fast. And we love you both and wish that you could be our little babies forever."

"I'm still your baby." She said and hugged him.

By the time Mattie woke up, Seth was already holding his book and reading peaceful, finally able to actually get to the next page now that his treasure was in his arm. Seth felt him stir, put the book aside and mumbled "Did you sleep well my treasure?"

Mattie opened his eyes and a warm feeling spread through him when he heard Seth's voice, "that was the best I've slept for so long". Mattie wiggled into Seth's arms some more so he could rest his head on Seth's chest; to him it was way more comfy then a pillow, and that's when the smell hit his nose. Mattie looked over to the desk by the door and saw plates of food, Mattie was starving but it hurt a little that his dragon had left him when he said he wouldn't. "Seth you went to get food? But I thought you said you wouldn't leave me? I'm really sorry I'm being so clingy but I just hate to be away from you...can't we just put on handcuffs and throw away the key?" Mattie said buried deep into Seth's chest afraid to look him in the eye.

Seth couldn't help but chuckle a little and said, "I wouldn't mind the cuffs but they might get uncomfortable or even hurt your wrist and that's something I can't live with. But don't worry, I would never have left you after promising not to go and I don't want to be apart from you anymore then you want that." Seth kissed Mattie's head before he gave a sigh and got the food over to the bed. Then he explained, "Joe was thoughtful enough to tell my fathers that we might prefer to stay in bed since we'd be tired tonight." After that Seth started feeding Mattie with a loving smile on his face before he said, "But I still want to talk about something. It's about Jaden, I understand that you're jealous because of him my treasure, like I said I'm even jealous about your brother which I know is silly, I just can't help it. But if you want, we can switch our sets in school so I'm not sitting next to him, and if you want, I won't talk to him anymore. I promise you Matthew, I do anything I can to ensure that you'll never feel any pain again." It was hard for Seth to even offer that and he knew that it would be so much harder to stay away from Jaden. The friendship had done him a lot of good and he knew that Jaden didn't have many friends either. On top of that he was the only normal person around that Seth could count on. But if it would course Mattie pain, than he just had to end that friendship.

Mattie heard the sadness in Seth's voice, "Seth my love you don't need to do that, as long as i know that your just friends everything will be fine, friends are important and you should cherish everyone you have".  
Seth smiled happily at Mattie while feeding him another bite and said, "That really means a lot to me my treasure, but I want you to be always around, that way you won't need to worry too much, and I don't need to miss you too much.  
Mattie chewed the food Seth gave him and smiled "Just promise me that you'll keep an eye on me so I don't start any fires again in school".  
Seth smiled and noded to the door where the fire had been with the words, "As you can clearly see, my sister and I are already all over it and will happily do so until you learn to control and I know you will, I have faith in you my treasure."  
Once the food was gone Mattie snuggled into Seth, there was something that he wanted to talk to Seth about but he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer. Mattie looked up into Seth's eyes and it gave him the strength to say it, "Seth are we going to be...you know together in school or do you know...wanna keep it a secret?" Mattie wanted more then anything to announce to the world that Seth was his but he knew the boy had a lot on his plate and he didn't want to cause him more stress.

Seth smiled and got his phone out. He wrote, _Hey Kitty, sorry if I was rude or anything the other day where I was confused about Matthew. And thanks again for the help. I promise that in return I'm going to introduce the most valuable treasure in the world to you, my boyfriend!_ And then he showed it to Mattie saying. "This is what I'll do. I'll brag wherever I can and make damn sure that everyone knows that you're all mine and that no one is allowed to touch you. And now, how about we cuddle again and you try to sleep some more, you still look tired my treasure." Seth didn't wait for a response and pulled him into his arms before he send a SMS to V, _Sorry to have worried you so much, but your kid brother got a boyfriend and I promise to do everything I can to make him happy._ Once Mattie was snuggled against him comfortably he said, "Good night Matthew my love and sleep well."

"Mattie", Mattie looked up at Seth, "your my most special person now, so it's Mattie my wonderful boyfriend". Mattie grabbed a quick kiss from his new boyfriend before laying his head on Seth's chest since it was way better then the pillow. "I love you Seth, nighty night love" and Mattie closed his eyes.

Seth smiled happily after his boyfriends words and said with a soft voice in which his love could easily be heard, "Good night...Mattie."


	19. Explanations

**Violet-Eclipse: **Hey guys we were really in the mood to write more Settie-goodness so we decided to give our boys another chapter :)  
**  
Lily272: **It won't have any puppyshipping in it but tons of cuteness between the kids so I hope you enjoy it anyway.

**Violet-Eclipse and Lily272: **Thanks to kitty tokyo uzumaki, TabFan, DmonXtrmN8r, yuriama sohma, SuperHappy and Angelia White for the reviews

**Explanations**

Seth was sitting in the middle of the back seats of Joey's BMW right in between Joe and his Mattie. He was still a little upset about his parents insisting that Mattie couldn't move in with him yet. They apparently had a point claiming that no matter what happened in any of their former lives, they probably didn't meet at such a young age. Joe still claimed that they were nearly as young once but they still insisted that it was a different time and that kids their age didn't move together now days.

With a sigh Seth had to admit that it might even get troublesome to explain in school if Mattie moved in with him. Even if Seth managed to get V a room in the Kaiba mansion too, which his Pap's won't be talked into easily, it might still be looked upon as strange. It didn't matter to Seth how the other kids would react to him when it came out that he's already living with his boyfriend but he really didn't want to course Mattie any trouble in finding friends, even though Seth didn't want to have anyone else close to his treasure.

At least he talked his parents into permission to be with his boyfriend during the weekends. One weekend at the mansion and one with V as long as V agreed to it but Seth had a strong feeling that he would. He understood Mattie's need to be with his dragon much better then Joey and Seto could understand their little primary school boy's longing for another little kid.

And that's all they saw. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't know what Seth and Mattie felt and how serious they were. Joey obviously tried really hard. But Seto still had some trouble accepting the whole shadow powers and shine powers even though Seth proved his newly found abilities to him. It didn't really surprise Seth though; he was still looking for a scientifically provable and acceptable answer himself.

From the corners of his eyes Seth noticed that they're nearly at the school and sighs. "What's wrong?" Joey asked.

"Nothing," Seth claimed sounding sad. The mask Seth used to always have on his face was nearly back by now, even though Mattie had it completely shattered the previous day, but so far it wasn't completely back. At least not when Mattie was in the same room and Joey is already curious to see how it would be when they weren't and wondered if he should talk to Seto again about letting both brothers move in with them if Seth's mask really does return completely as soon as this boy is gone.

Mattie watched his boyfriend with worry-filed eyes. He didn't regret anything about yesterday because he has Seth back again but he hated seeing him look so vulnerable. He knew deep down that Seth shouldn't hide his emotions all of the time but right know his boyfriend was hurting and the voices in Mattie's head won't stop saying that it was his fault. With everyone deep in thought no one noticed the temperature in the car slowly begin to rise.

"Seth hates to share him." Joe-Joe said cheerfully. "He doesn't want others to see his boyfriend." Mattie blushed; he still wasn't used to hearing others say that yet. Mattie looked as steam began to cloud the windows; he felt panic for a second and then began concentrating really hard to make it go away.

Joey looked into the back mirror of the car and watched Seth's face. He also saw how his son moved one hand to play with Mattie's hair.

"It really is a pity that others get to see you too." Seth whispered towards Mattie and was just about loud enough that Joey understood him too. Mattie smiled at Seth while he still tried to keep everything in check.

"See." Joe chuckled. "He's jealous, you shouldn't touch him or Seth will go crazy."

"I won't." Seth claimed, "I know how to behave myself. But I wouldn't like it."

"Come on, I'm your dad and he's a kid." Joey said, "You wouldn't care about me giving him a hug."

"I would." Seth stated and looked upset at the thought. "But I know that it's silly and try not to show it." Mattie tried really hard but he still didn't get it. I mean he would understand if people said he got jealous because people would want Seth, but he couldn't understand what was so great about him? Mattie would never tell Seth that he got jealous sometimes because it's more out of worry then dislike. Mattie knows it would be stupid and pointless to try and keep Seth to himself but the voices always tell him that Seth will one day grow tired of him and he just wants to keep the boys attention as long as he can.

Now it was Joey's turn to sigh while wishing that his kids could be normal. It surely would make things easier. But at the same time he still loves them the way they are and tried to deal with this as good as he could. After all, without those powers, Joe wouldn't be Joe and Seth might not be the same boy either. Joey parked the car and before he even turned of the engine the door was ripped open and Jaden stood there. "Hi Joe, hi Seth hi...new kid sorry forgot your name. And now spill it Seth, what was that about yesterday."

"Good morning Jaden." Seth replied with a mild glare towards the boy that opened the door on Mattie's side and was currently standing much too close to the cute boy. "I know that your patience is very limited but could you be so kind to let me properly arrive at school before questioning me?"

"You did." Jaden pointed out, "This is the schools parking lot so you're there and now spill."

"I'm in the parking lot, not at the school." Seth replied, "And it's a long story so at least let me get out of the car because my father surely has other things to attend to then stay at school for a few hours."

"That long a story?" Jaden said astonished. "I might have to pretend to be sick after all and you too that way we can talk in the nurse's room. I bet mum will fall for it. She was shocked when I woke her before her alarm went off and was about to call an ambulance I think." Mattie felt the shock of the statement and the filmier cold feeling rush over him. What if they did talk alone in the nurse's office and after Seth told Jaden everything the boy would help him realise that he didn't actually like Mattie at all? And that he really is just a weird kid…just like everyone else said.

"I bet she was." Seth's voice interrupted Mattie's thoughts. While Joe-Joe got out of the car. Seth himself refused to exit it while Mattie was still sitting so close to Jaden. And Seth quickly decided that explaining things to Jaden in peace in the nurses office, wasn't worth leaving Mattie out of his sight. "Now please step aside so Mattie can get out of the car." Seth's voice interrupted Mattie's thoughts.

"While talking about him," Jaden suddenly said, "Why is Mattie with you anyway?"

"Matt." Seth growled sounding like an angry dragon, "You're not allowed to call him Mattie. Only I am, well and his brother." The last words where grumbled so angrily that it was clear that Seth didn't like the fact that someone else could call him Mattie too. Mattie gave Seth's arm a light squeeze which seemed to calm him down. Seth gave him a small smile and the voices weren't so loud anymore.

Jaden stared at Seth for a moment, "Somehow you're different today...oh well." Jaden shrugged and stepped to the side to let Mattie exit the car followed closely by Seth who quickly decided that it might be better to have Joe sit next to Mattie then risk someone stand next to Mattie again while he himself was stuck between his boyfriend and his sister unable to really do anything for either. This way Mattie could be well protected between them.

"Now spill it." Jaden said right away. "I want to know what was going on yesterday and why that boy that you have that little crush on is with you."

"I don't have a little crush on him." Seth said. Mattie felt is heart constricting a little but brushed it aside.

"Yeah right" Jaden grinned, "I'm not blind."

"I told you I don't have a little crush on him." Seth said once more, "Calling it a crush would be a huge injustice towards my true feelings for him!" Mattie stared wide eyed at Seth.

"And how about you translate that for stupid little me?" Jaden said with a grin.

"I love him and will marry him once we're old enough to do so." Seth said with a sigh. "And calling my feelings a crush is like calling the sun a firefly!" Mattie felt his heart swell and heard the familiar sizzle of his tears evaporating. That was the sweetest thing anyone's ever said about him.

"So it's a huge crush." Jaden summed up.

"It's more than a crush." Seth insisted, "It's true love." Mattie felt the urge to kiss his boyfriend but decided it would be a bad idea. He didn't want to ruin Seth's reputation.

"Sure, sure" Jaden grinned, "Now about that earth wavy thing ya did. What was that about? Did ya do that fiery thing too? Because that was wicked cool" Mattie let a small smile come to his face at the thought of someone thinking his pyro-kinesis was cool.

Seth frowned for a moment and looked towards Mattie for a second before answering, "I can't tell you until you left me alone with Mattie for a moment since a honest answer would give away a secret of his along with mine and I'm not willing to tell you his secrets without permission." Mattie gave Seth a warm smile hoping he noticed. Mattie made a mental note to tell Seth how much he appreciated that…hell appreciated him.

"But I'm your pal." Jaden whined.

"And you wouldn't want me to tell him any of your secrets." Seth pointed out.

"I don't have any." Jaden said trying to think if he forgot something major.

"If you ever have one that I find out about you wouldn't want me to just go ahead and tell anyone." Seth replied, "So quit pestering me. Until Mattie says that I can tell you, I won't tell you."

"Mattie, can he tell me?" Jaden asked.

"It's MATT for you!" Seth grumbled angrily and took Joe's hand while his other arm moved around Mattie's waist. His school bag was already on his back and Joe also finally got her Kindergarten bag ready to go. Seth started walking towards the school to drop of his little sister at the Kindergarten group before going towards his own class.

"Seth, you know I love you and I completely trust you" Mattie said smiling enjoying the feeling of being in his boyfriends arms again. "That means I trust you to do what you need to and if that means telling your friend rather than risking losing him than what are you waiting for." Mattie knew this would make Seth happy and if that ment helping him get closer to others until one day he gets bored of Mattie then he would do it. Deep down Mattie knew the voices were right Seth will grow tired of him one day and he'll be alone again.

Seth gave his boyfriend a little kiss on his cheek, not sure if he should do more at school since some might start to pick on Mattie even more than the previous day and that thought worried him. At the same time he really didn't want to make a secret of their relationship since he wanted to announce to the world that Mattie is his.

After the short kiss Seth looked deep into Mattie's eyes before looking back towards Jaden, "Let's drop of Joe first."

"Kay" Mattie said giving Seth his best fake smile hoping he wouldn't notice his internal struggles.

"Why?" Joe whined, "I wanna hear that story too."

"Because we're nearly at your room and I rather not have your teacher hear anything about this conversation." Seth replied.

"Fine." Joe grumbled, "But you tell me later right."

"You know everything," Seth pointed out, "But if you insist I promise to tell you about this conversation later."

"Will Matt come home with us to play?" Joe asked curious.

"I have to go to the office after school." Seth answered.

"That's boring." Joe said, "He can play with me." Mattie smiled at his best friend.

"He's coming to the office especially since as far as I know, his babysitter is still unable to take care of him." Seth insisted. "And his older brother won't be able unless he doesn't come to work which would slightly annoy me too."

"Whatever," Joe grumbled, "But he'll play with me tomorrow."

"We'll see." Seth replied certain that they both might have to play with Joe at least for a little while even though he'd much rather be alone with his little treasure.

Mattie mouthed "I promise I will" to his best friend before she headed into the classroom.

Once they left the girl Jaden held on to Seth's hand. "Now shoot and I won't let go until you do."

Mattie didn't know why that hurt him so much. Maybe it was because he felt he couldn't hold Seth's hand without ruining his reputation yet Jaden could and it was perfectly fine. He didn't get a chance to think about it because the voices were screaming inside his head telling him everything he didn't want to admit: how he wasn't good enough, how he would ruin everything for Seth in this life, how Seth didn't need him anymore. Mattie didn't want to notice the fire that started in the distance or the temperature rising in the classrooms around them. He just knew he didn't want to exist in a world without Seth.

The little fire was already off again in the same second it started and if anyone saw it during the split second it took Joe to raise humidity and Seth to take all the air from the flame they probably think that it was simply a trick to their eyes since Seth and Joe also destroyed all the evidence like they had done the previous day in Seth's room.

Seth also raised a slight breeze around Mattie to check that his body wasn't physically harmed to course this little accident. Once Seth was sure that it had an emotional reason he pulled Mattie closer to himself and started to kiss him to distract him from whatever thoughts coursed it. "Don't worry my love, everything is fine, we got it covered." Seth whispered after a moment, "Just try to calm yourself and tell me what happened my love."

Mattie knew he couldn't tell Seth the truth he had enough to worry about as it was, Mattie couldn't hold him back. "I'm just nervous about going back there after yesterday that's all nothing to worry about." Mattie said with a fake smile, "Now don't leave Jaden hanging."

With a sigh Seth complied, but not before whispering to Mattie that there was no reason to worry since he and Joe would keep everything under control so he should just relax and enjoy the day. Once Seth gave him one more kiss he started to explain to Jaden. "This dimension apparently was created by the combined energies of two individual other dimensions that connect exactly at this one. Both of them have opposing qualities but from both of them, that worlds specific energies are able to be drown to this one by different means and effect our world. One of those means are souls that are constantly reborn and tied to one of those specific energies which enable them to do different things. Partly those are predetermined by the world from which their powers are supported while others seem to be more individualized. Like Joe's shine powers seem to allow her to manipulate and control everything that is liquid or surrounded by something liquid, meaning that it's beneath some sort of surface, at her own will. My shadow powers enable me to do more or less the same just with everything that is located above any sort of surface. Mattie's powers include temperature changes and he's able to use strong pyrokinetic powers but he's still learning to control his more individualized powers since those seem to grow with the number of rebirths a soul had which made his powers quiet impressive but that for harder to control with every life he lives. But don't worry, Joe and I have him covered so nothing dangerous can happen, any questions?"

"Yeah one" Jaden replied ginning, "Why do ya bother to explain it in detail when ya know that ya have to dumb it down a bit so I'd get at least half of what ya where jabbing on about."

With a sigh Seth tried again, "Joe, Mattie and I are born with powers from other dimensions. Because of that Joe can control water and everything in it, I control everything above it and Mattie here can make cool little fires that get you out of class. Did you manage to follow me now?"

"Sure." Jaden said before grinning towards Mattie, "Could ya burn my homework when the teacher want's to collect it? I forgot to do it and that way he won't be able to say that I lied when I tell him that it got burned."

Mattie gave Jaden a small smile, "I would but I'm too worried that it might get out of control and burn you too. Sorry." Mattie said feeling useless. "But I can totally try and help you finish it before we have to pass it in." Mattie said hoping to get on the good side of Seth's best friend.

Seth frowned a little. It's bad enough that he'll have to share Mattie with Joe, but Jaden too? "I'll let you copy mine." Seth quickly offerd. Jaden had bagged to do so nearly every morning after Seth started to go to this school but so far Seth always insisted that Jaden had to do it himself and only assisted him until Jaden gave up asking.

"Really?" Jaden said surprised before looking towards Mattie who was still in Seth's arm. "I have no idea what ya did to him, but whatever it is, it's great so don't stop okay Mattie?"

A sudden gust of wind blew through the hallway and nearly coursed Jaden to fall. "Don't provoke me again." Seth warned his eyes still glowing. "I told you not to call him Mattie!"

"All right all right." Jaden mumbled, "I wish I could do something like that too. Anyway, do ya have time to play today?"

"I'm sorry," Seth replied, "I'm going to be at the office today."

"I could join ya and we play there." Jaden suggested, "I bet your Pap's has great games there since it's a gaming company."

"There are a few prototypes of newly released games as well as some that aren't on the marked yet." Seth confirmed, "But I'm not there to play so there's no need for you to bother."

"I bet Mattie...I mean Matt, sorry. I bet he gets to come." Jaden whined a little.

"He does." Seth said, "But mostly because his older brother will also be working there and the minder that used to watch him during those afternoons is unable to do so for the moment." Seth looked towards Mattie and added, "And I hope it will either take some time for her to recover or that you'd simply come to the office with me even when she could mind you again."

Jaden watched the two lovebirds for a moment and wondered if the sudden kiss had anything to do with those powers that Mattie had and the fact that he couldn't control them yet. He already noticed that Mattie is way more insecure then he or Seth are and wonders if it's due to that. With a slight grin Jaden quickly came to the conclusion that Mattie probably would easily get jealous due to his insecurities and that homework really was boring even if he could copy it.

"You know Seth; you're sort of cute when you're this way." Jaden said once they entered their class room and he could be certain that the teacher was already inside, hoping that a bit of provocation might course a little fire in the right place. And if he got hurt too, oh well, better a slight burn then doing homework. "Maybe I should try to steal you away from that fire devil."

Mattie clenched his fists and the sound of his sizzling tears returned. This was it Seth was going to leave him and they haven't even been together a week! Everything began to spin and Mattie was happy Seth was holding on to him. Random sheets on paper in the room began to combust and the temperature was becoming unbearable, people began to panic and scream but Mattie didn't hear anything the voices in his head was the only thing he heard and he was starting to believe they were right.

Seth pulled Mattie out of the classroom and ensured that Joe didn't manage to keep all the fires from getting worse. A bit of turmoil should help them get away again without attracting to much notice and Seth didn't want any of the other kids to find out the reason for those strange things that were going on.

He pulled Mattie all the way to the janitor closet and inside of it before he pulled his boyfriend into a tight hug saying, "It's all right my love I'm right here with you. Everything is fine." He continued like that for a moment until he felt Mattie regain control over his powers. Once Mattie seemed to have calmed mostly he asked, "Do you trust me?"

Mattie gave Seth a real smile, trying his best to pour his feelings of love into it. "Yes, of course I trust you; you're the love of my lives."

"Then why don't you tell me the real reason that the temperature around you is going haywire all day long?" Seth wanted to know, "This is the third time I noticed and yes, I did see the steam in the car. What's wrong my love? Please trust me and let me help you!"

Mattie knew it was stupid to think Seth wouldn't notice. He sighed and hid his face into Seth's chest hoping that this wouldn't be the last time he would. "I hear voices in my head telling me that you're going to grow tired of me. I know that their not real and that their just my insecurities but I'm starting to believe that there's a reason I have them. Maybe there's some part of me that knows you don't need me anymore…that I'm just holding you back. I'm starting to realise that the only problem is I don't want to let go…let's face it we both know I'm not good enough for you anyway, you have other people now that's never happened before. Maybe I was just a phase you were supposed to grow out of but I was selfish and didn't let go and now I'm ruining everything for you…things aren't easy with me, maybe I should just let Jaden steal you away."

"You're jealous?" Seth said surprised. "Well I guess it's because I've hurt you at the start." Seth looked a little bit upset but a slight smile stayed around his lips "You know it's really a pity that you don't see yourself clearly. You're so cute and your powers are amazing. I also have absolute confidence in you that you'll learn to control them given a little more time. I'm sure that all you need to control it is a bit more faith in yourself. So whenever those voices say anything to you, tell them to shut up because if you ever dare to try to let me be stolen or leave me alone for my own got, then I'm going to tie you to my bed and never let you leave my room again. I might have to look myself in there with you since I don't want to be apart from you but as long as you're there, I wouldn't mind at all." Seth pulled his boyfriend even closer and raised a breeze around him again. "I love you Mattie. I love your smiles and your eyes and even the fact that you're jealous too is something that I rather like. I even love the feeling of the air flowing around your body. I have no idea if I ever told you in a past life but I can actually feel everything that breeze touches right now." And the breeze was increasing a tiny bit and partly got under Mattie's shirt, "It's obviously not the same as touching you with my hands but I can feel you, and I will never give this feeling up again no matter what you do. I love you! And I thought I already made it clear that I'm not going to stop loving you! Now how about we skip at least the first period to cuddle or would you rather leave the school altogether and try and find a nice place to cuddle all morning in the park? Just promise me that next time something troubles you please tell me! If you don't I'll just worry even more. For a while I was worried that you were troubled because I was too close to you and you wouldn't like me to hold you in school."

Mattie smiled, "If anything you should hold me more, I love being in your arms just as much as you want me to be there. Thanks for being so understanding love, it will take time but I will get everything under control. My insecurities will probably always be there but I promise to talk to you about them from now on." Mattie said as he hugged into his boyfriend tighter. "We can miss first period but I think we should go back to class after Jaden may need your help." Mattie said snuggling into Seth.

"And about what Jaden just said, if he ever want's to steal someone, it'd be you. After all you probably solved his homework problem for which I will ensure that he pays so dearly that he'll never dares to pull something like that again. I bet he just said those words to provoke you and I'll make sure that he'll never dares to do that again I promise!" Seth looked angry and was already trying to decide what punishment might be severe enough for the crime in question.

"Seriously, is it wrong that I find it adorable when you get all angry and vengeful?" Mattie said giving Seth a quick kiss before snuggling back into his boyfriends chest.


End file.
